Poncle, the solo developer behind Vampire Survivors, has announced its largest DLC to date, a Castlevania crossover. The expansion will be released on Halloween for $3.99 / €3.99 / £2.99, a fitting tribute given Castlevania’s influence on the game. Poncle’s passion for Castlevania is evident in the announcement, expressing excitement over the collaboration and calling it a “dream come true.” The DLC aims to celebrate the legacy of Castlevania while adding substantial new content to the base game.
In the Steam announcement, Poncle reflects on how Vampire Survivors might have been entirely different without Castlevania’s influence, making this collaboration feel like a full-circle moment for the developer. Poncle emphasizes that this is not a typical DLC, but rather a tribute to the iconic series, with significant time and effort invested into making it a memorable experience for players.
The DLC will include more than 20 new characters, over 40 new weapons, the largest stage in the game’s history, and more than 30 new music tracks. Poncle teases the scale of the content without revealing precise numbers, hinting at how expansive the experience will be. The sheer size of the stage has led to the inclusion of special icons on the map to help players navigate through the vast environments.
Weapons in the expansion are designed to balance between paying homage to Castlevania and introducing new mechanics. Poncle mentions that some weapons will be remixed or reinterpreted versions of Castlevania staples, while others will be directly converted. Additionally, there will be themed weapon selectors to give players more flexibility in how they approach battles, allowing them to switch from default weapons if desired.
This DLC is priced slightly higher than previous expansions due to its size and scope. Poncle assures players that the content justifies the higher cost, as it is packed with more features and production value than before. Poncle hints that once players experience the new content, they’ll understand why the DLC was priced this way, further reinforcing the massive scale of the expansion.
