10 Video Game Franchises That Just Sat Out An ENTIRE Generation
5. Castlevania
The long-running Castlevania franchise got started on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Known for its brutally difficult action and sublime art style, it went through several systems and eventually settled on Castlevania: Symphony of the Night as the dominant style for all future releases going forward.
After some failed efforts into the third dimension in the N64 days, 2010's Lords of Shadow mostly got it right, going for a more hack and slash affair. However, Castlevania's fall from prominence came not from a bad game, but the antics of its devloper.
Throughout the 2010s, Konami was getting worse and worse, making all kinds of bone-headed development decisions that didn't do the franchise any favours. Their franchises began to fall one by one; Silent Hill went first, then Castlevania followed, coming to an abrupt stop in 2014.
After the disappointing performance of Lords of Shadow 2, the franchise has not returned to the gaming scene since the PS3 and 360 days, even if it managed to grab a TV show. Konami has no interest in pursuing any more games in the series, though luckily for Castlevania fans, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has filled that gap.