Konami just blindsided the gaming world. This Thursday, September 3, the legendary publisher will air its own “Press Start” digital showcase — arriving hot on the heels of PlayStation’s stacked double-header State of Play. And buried in the announcement is a bombshell: a brand-new Castlevania game, made in collaboration with the acclaimed developers behind Dead Cells, is about to take center stage.
If you thought 2026 had already served up enough gaming chaos, buckle up. This could be one of the most important weeks of the year.
What Is the Konami “Press Start” Showcase?
Per a report from Game Informer (September 1, 2026), Konami has scheduled a new digital presentation titled “Press Start”, airing Thursday morning, September 3. The timing is no accident — it comes shortly after PlayStation’s scheduled State of Play, creating what fans are already calling a “showcase super-week.”
The presentation promises fresh updates on three highly anticipated projects:
- Silent Hill: Townfall — the mysterious, atmospheric entry in the revived Silent Hill universe
- Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse — the new Castlevania title that fans have been dying to see
- A third, unnamed game — a wildcard that has speculation running at full throttle
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse — The Return of the Whip
The crown jewel here is unquestionably Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. What makes this one so special? It’s not just a Konami project — it’s being developed alongside the Evil Empire, the praised indie studio best known for their work on Dead Cells.
For context, Dead Cells earned a reputation as one of the slickest, most satisfying action-platformers of its generation — razor-sharp combat, immaculate pacing, and a dungeon-crawling loop that kept players hooked for hundreds of hours. Pair that DNA with the gothic whip-cracking legacy of the Belmont clan, and you have a recipe that could genuinely shake the genre.
Fans have been begging for a return to classic 2D Castlevania ever since Bloodstained proved the formula still has legs. If Belmont’s Curse blends the Dead Cells combat finesse with a sprawling, interconnected castle map, this could be the shot in the arm Konami’s franchise desperately needs.
The Bigger Picture: A Showcase Super-Week
Konami’s announcement lands inside a much larger event window. PlayStation has locked in back-to-back State of Plays for Thursday, September 3:
- 6:00 a.m. PT / 9:00 a.m. ET / 3:00 p.m. CEST / 10:00 p.m. JST — a standard State of Play
- The second is State of Play Japan, hosted by the legendary Yuji Kaji
The standard presentation will conclude with an extended look at Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Square Enix’s latest chapter in the epic remake saga — a follow-up we’ve already broken down in depth here at our full State of Play preview.
Between PlayStation’s pair of showcases, Final Fantasy VII Revelation’s lengthy feature, and now Konami’s surprise Press Start event, September 3 is shaping up to be a marathon of reveals unlike anything we’ve seen this year.
Fan Theories: What Could the Third Game Be?
Here’s where the speculation gets fun. Konami has confirmed updates on Silent Hill: Townfall and Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse — but the third, unnamed game is a genuine mystery. The community is already tossing around theories:
- Metal Gear Solid — a franchise Konami has revived through its Metal Gear Solid Delta remake. A new title or DLC would move the needle enormously.
- Suikoden — with remasters in the rearview, a brand-new entry in the beloved RPG series would be a massive crowd-pleaser.
- Goemon / Ganbare Goemon — a cult-favorite Konami franchise that’s been dormant for decades. A revival here would be a beautiful nostalgia bomb.
- Pro Evolution Soccer / eFootball — more likely a patch or update than a marquee reveal, but never say never.
The absence of any detail is itself the story. Konami knows exactly what it’s doing — leaving the third slot blank guarantees every viewer watches the entire broadcast, holding their breath.
Why This Matters (and Why You Should Care)
Konami spent years in the “what have they done to my franchises” doghouse. The company’s pivot toward revivals — Silent Hill 2 Remake, Metal Gear Solid Delta, and the steady drip of Castlevania-adjacent teases — signals a genuine reset. A new Castlevania from the Dead Cells team isn’t just fan service; it’s a statement of intent.
And if you’re already deep in the animation side of this universe, you know the IP has serious cross-media firepower. For more on the anime landscape and what the studio’s been cooking, check out our Jujutsu Kaisen Season 4 breakdown and our Chainsaw Man Season 2 coverage — because if Konami plays its cards right, Belmont’s Curse could ignite the same kind of fandom frenzy.
What Do You Think?
The clock is ticking. By Thursday morning, we’ll finally know whether Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse lives up to its pedigree, what Silent Hill: Townfall has in store, and the identity of that mysterious third game.
Here’s the question I want you to chew on before the livestream kicks off: Which franchise do you want to see as Konami’s third reveal — Metal Gear, Suikoden, or something we haven’t even guessed? Sound off in the comments, and stay glued to wibux.com for the full breakdown the moment these showcases go live. This is one Thursday you do not want to miss. 🕹️
