Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night delayed, Vita port cancelled

It looks like fans of Castlevania creator Koji Igarashi’s upcoming title Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night will have to wait. Igarashi has stated on the game’s Kickstarter page that it will release in 2019 instead of the planned release this year. In addition, the planned PlayStation Vita port has been cancelled, with Vita owners able to request a refund or a version on another platform.

The delay comes after feedback from the game’s demo, which was available for backers. The game has been delayed until a 2019 release date in order to “raise the quality level”. Considering some of the high-profile Kickstarter disasters, it makes sense that the developers want a smooth launch.

As for the cancellation of the Vita version, this was due to Sony discontinuing the system, according to Igarashi.

“This decision is largely due to Sony’s plans to discontinue the Vita console, ending production of physical copies and stopping certain online store support features,” he states, “It is extremely unfortunate, but as a result, we won’t be releasing the game on Vita. For the backers who have ordered the PS Vita version of the game, you will be able to choose another platform or request a refund.”

The news of the cancellation is somewhat disappointing for anyone who wanted to play it on the Vita. However, it makes financial sense for the developers to focus on the platforms with more support. The game is still in development for Linux, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One, however.

For anyone who needs something to tide them over, Inti Creates released a spin-off called Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon. Curse of the Moon is heavily influenced by the original Castlevania games on the NES.