Castlevania is making another video game comeback, this time as crossover content with the upcoming 1.0 launch of game V Rising. As part of the vampiric survival game's full launch in May, this free update will allow players to pit their demonic strength against Simon Belmont in a boss battle, and if he's successfully defeated, his trademark vampire-slaying whip will be added to the game's arsenal.

Players will also earn new abilities "that embody the grace and precision of the deadly Vampire hunter" if they can survive this battle, and a paid cosmetic DLC will add Castlevania-inspired decor for your vampire lair, a new mount, classic Castlevania themes reimagined by V Rising composer Aleksandria Migova, and character customization.

"We're all big fans of Castlevania, so being able to actually create original Castlevania content in our game is a dream come true," Stunlock Studios CEO Rickard Frisegard said in blog post. "I want to express a heartfelt thank you to our friends at Konami for the chance to bring Castlevania to the V Rising universe."

This isn't the first time Castlevania has crossed over into another video game universe, as Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania was released last year. An homage to Castlevania, this expansion hit a terrific balance of heartfelt appreciation for the franchise while still retaining the core identity of Dead Cells.

A new and original Castlevania game hasn't been released since 2014's Lords of Shadow 2, but the franchise has made a big impact on television with a popular animated series. Netflix has renewed Castlevania: Nocturne for a second season, reuniting the cast of Richter, Annette, and Maria for a new high-stakes battle against the forces of darkness.

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