A Konami representative has hinted during a Japanese interview that the recent revival of GetsuFumaDen may not be the only retro remake in the cards for the long-standing game publisher. This may be surprising to players who’ve seen Konami’s output in recent years amount to a handful of soccer titles and unfortunate entries in the Metal Gear and Contra franchises. During the Xbox One generation, Konami produced far more pachinko machines and mobile games than traditional console and PC titles, leading to a perception of disinterest in continuing on the legacy of the many franchises that bear the Konami logo.
Of course, not many Americans will remember GetsuFumaDen, as the original game was a Japan-exclusive title for the Famicom/NES that initially came out all the way back in 1987. Undying Moon, the new game in the franchise that’s currently on Steam Early Access, takes the bones of the 8-bit game and transfers them into the present with gameplay that’s more than reminiscent of Dead Cells and graphics inspired by traditional Japanese artwork. It’s not something that many would have expected out of Konami, but it seems like this type of release could be the norm going forward.
In an interview with JPGames, Konami’s Shin Murato mentioned that the new GetsuFumaDen was not a one-off occurrence. Instead, it was inspired by the company’s admiration for smaller titles. “We felt that GetsuFumaDen would be an interesting IP to bring back to follow this indie approach.” He goes on to encourage players to wait for “future projects like this,” dropping a major hint that other franchises from Konami’s past could get a similar treatment.
It’s highly likely that Konami will have announcements regarding these new retro-inspired titles soon. The publisher was initially set to be one of the presenters at this year’s all-digital E3, but pulled out due to so-called timing issues. This may mean that the company will still have a showcase stream at some point in 2021 after E3’s conclusion, and that could reintroduce anything from Castlevania to Jungler to the modern gaming marketplace.
One series that is almost certainly in the wings for a future Konami showcase is Silent Hill. Following the cancellation of Hideo Kojima’s take on the franchise, Konami has kept the iconic horror franchise alive via cameos in games like Dead By Daylight. Rumors from earlier this year proposed that a proper new Silent Hill from developers at Bloober Team could be well underway, and some even claim that there’s more than one game coming in the not too distant future.
While it remains to be seen how much investment Konami has in its overall gaming division, it wouldn’t hurt to have hope for the future. While it hasn’t taken over the roguelike genre, the new GetsuFumaDen has a lot of potential in its current state. Even at launch, it certainly reimagines its source material better than something like Contra: Rogue Corps. A new console iteration of Frogger or Rocket Knight Adventures produced by a small team with a deep love for the source material could produce the same potential.
