Mercury Steam ran wild in 2011 with their update of the Castlevania storyline by re-creating the Dracula myth in Lords of Shadow. Except that's not the end for Konami UK, who continue to dominate the news with their upcoming sequel for Lords of Shadow and tie-in on the 3DS. Even back at E3 2011, there was an alternate plan being hatched by David Cox, head of development at Konami UK.
Even if the world remembers him and his team forever more as the folks who brought back Castlevania, they're more interested in another classic Konami franchise: Contra.
Teased as far back as 2011 with no footage other than the announcement that "they're coming," it turns out they might've been Mercury Steam all along. In an interview with VG247, Cox relates his love of switching titles despite the popularity:
"Like I said, I know there’s going to be pressure on us to do another Castlevania game, but I don’t want to rise to that pressure. I want to do something else. I love Contra. I’d love to do Contra. At Mercury Steam we’ve got an original idea that I think is really awesome. We’d love to bring that idea to market and I’m hoping that the success of Lords of Shadow 2 will allow us to do that.”
Maybe this time, the aliens will be the soldiers! And the new soldiers the aliens! Or, it could just redefine how we remember the classic shooter and forget Neo Contra ever had to exist.
