The upcoming video game showcase, the Tokyo Game Show, is sparking speculation, thanks to a teaser from the well-known industry insider, Billbill-kun, known to have deep connections within the game industry. The hint revolves around a since-forgotten video game franchises, Castlevania.

Fans have been waiting for a new Castlevania game for years. But, except for re-releases of older titles and crossovers, Konami has yet to reveal the next official entry.

Now, Konami might finally break its silence at Xbox's showcase on September 21.

Castlevania is an action-adventure video game that dabbles in gothic horror themes. More often than not, it starts the Belmont family against Dracula and an array of supernatural creatures.

With its immersive gameplay and iconic characters, it's a franchise that has, among other things, has carved out a niche for itself, alongside a dedicated fanbase and, with the help of Metroid, its own genre. The term "Metroidvania" is partly because of the ever-lasting influence of the earlier Metroid and Castlevania games on side-scrolling platformers and other video game genres, in general. 

Ironically, for genre-spawning titles, both new installments in both the Metroid and Castlevania franchises have been far and few in between for years. But, at least Nintendo is still willing to admit that more Metroid games are coming, even shadow-dropping Metroid Prime Remastered earlier this year.

We can't exactly say the same for Castlevania despite its mainstream prominence following the success of the animated adaptation on Netflix, which is getting a sequel/spin-off on the same streaming platform later this month.

However, if there's ever a time for Konami to shine the spotlight exclusively on a new Castlevania game, it's now.

With Virtuous Games now confirmed to be working on Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and Konami outsourcing the Silent Hill revival to several other studios, including Bloober Team, who may or may not be at the Tokyo Game Show as well, it's time to bring back Castlevania. 

As noted by several obsevers, the term "Ladybird" that Billbill-kun used in its tease could mean Team Ladybug, which is a Japan-based video game development studio with a solid track record of creating 2D Metroidvania games similar in aesthetic to the classic Castlevania games by Konami before Koji Igarashi left the company.

However, as speculation runs rampant, it's important to restrain our imaginations. The teaser may merely be hinting at a limited Castlevania controller connected to a promotional giveaway for the upcoming Castlevania anime, which is set to release in under two weeks. This theory gains further traction when considering that Billbil-kun has historically leaked information about Xbox controllers. Finally, the anime's impending premiere on September 28 provides an adequate explanation for the flurry of Castlevania promotions.

Regardless of the truth, it's evident that Castlevania occupies a significant space in the hearts of many gamers. Whether the Tokyo Game Show presents a new game or another form of homage to the franchise, fans are sure to tune in.