I'm Feeling Nostalgic

31 December 2023

Maybe it's because of the new year, but I've been reflecting on my time in the Castlevania fandom, and it's making me miss my old Tumblr mutual sphere from 2021.

A lot has changed since then, and almost all of the people I hung out with have either moved on to different fandoms or stopped using Tumblr altogether. But back when everyone was active, I had so much fun talking about the games' story and swapping headcanons and theories. It was really exciting!

I think that part of the reason why there was a (relative) jump in activity in the Castlevania fandom from around 2017-2021 is, unfortunately, due in part to the Netflix show. A lot of people were being exposed to Castlevania for the very first time, and ended up checking out the games either because they loved the show and wanted more, or were dissatisfied with it and were looking to see how the source material held up in comparison. Either way, a whole lot more people were playing the games than before.

But now… the fandom just seems empty. A lot of the people who got into the series during the Castlevania boom have moved on to other interests, as most people do. Castlevania: Nocturne is out, but it just doesn't have the same novelty that the first show did. When I log on to Discord or check Tumblr, none of the dedicated Castlevania spaces I'm in seem to be interested in having those deep conversations anymore. Hell, I barely even see Castlevania memes these days. Do you know how depressing that is?

Do I think that the Castlevania fandom is on its way out for good? No, absolutely not. I'm still here, for one. Castlevania fans have been keeping the fandom alive for some thirty-odd years by the skin of their teeth, I'm certain that we can hold out for another thirty still. In a few years, something else will probably come out and spark a new wave of interest in the series. What that something will be, I'm not sure. But as of right now, I'm just sad that the passion so many people shared for the games that I love so much has all but fizzled out.

Well, happy new year, I guess.