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The ArtPlay gamescom 2026 announcement is that the next new game in the Bloodstained series is delayed. Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, which is a prequel set before the events of Ritual of the Night, will not appear in 2026 as expected. Instead, an update from Koji “IGA” Igarashi on the official site noted the new launch window is 2027.
There’s a video update from IGA about the decision. In it, he explained the game is in its final stages of development. The Bloodstained series producer and creator also noted that the team as a whole decided on the delay of the new game and shift into 2027. He also mentioned that the next step should involve sharing actual gameplay footage, especially now that new screenshots are available.
As for those new screenshots, four appeared. One of them seems to involve a story scene. The other three show characters in stages going through battles. In a change from Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, The Scarlet Engagement will feature two leads who will be present together at the same time as we go through the 2.5 stages, so we see Leo Brandon and Alex Kyteler fighting together as they head to defeat a demon lord in these new images.
Here’s how those new screenshots look:
Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement will come to the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2027, and the original Ritual of the Night game is on the Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and mobile devices.
