After nearly two years in development, Koji Igarachi’s Castlevania spiritual successor, Bloostained: Ritual of the Night, has been canceled on Wii U and is now coming to Nintendo Switch following an email update to Kickstarter backers.
According to the update, the “switch” (pun intended) in player base from Wii U to Switch was the primary reason for this platform move. The email mentions three scenarios for previous Wii U backers in which to move forward:
- If you backed the Wii U version and want the Switch version, no further action is needed. The Switch option has effectively replaced Wii U, so your platform of choice is already set
- If you backed the Wii U version and want to move your platform to PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, or PlayStation Vita, you can change your platform via the backer survey
- If you backed the Wii U version and no longer wish to back another platform, you are eligible for a cancellation and refund if:
- You filled out your backer survey and selected the Wii U version prior to this update
- You backed at an unlimited tier ($28 to $500)
- You are able to receive a refund via PayPal
- You submit your refund request before the April 20, 2017 deadline
A “secret” fourth option, if you will, is also available: if you, like me, forgot to declare a platform entirely, you can still access your backer survey via the original link you were sent (from Fangamer Mailroom) and choose Switch as your platform. It is unclear if you can still switch your platform from PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, or PlayStation Vita to Switch, but it’s worth a shot if you still have your survey link.
Here is a note from Koji Igarachi to the game’s backers:
Hello, this is IGA.
Thank you for always supporting us. I would like to give a message to the backers who pledged for the Wii U version of Bloodstained.
During our Kickstarter campaign, the Wii U was at the height of its popularity, but the situation has drastically changed after the release of Nintendo Switch.
This change made it difficult to receive the necessary support from the hardware maker, which has led us to drop the Wii U development and shift the development to Nintendo Switch.
We are very sorry that it has come to this after all your support, but we hope you will understand. We would like to respond by preparing options for our backers, such as moving your pledge to another version or requesting a refund if you don’t want any other version.
We hope you will continue to support us.
What do you think of this change from Wii U to Switch? Did you see this coming in the wake of Yooka-Laylee‘s platform change? Are you one of the backers affected by this change? Let us know by leaving a reply!
