Two Legacy of Kain games are coming in 2026

Crystal Dynamics is keeping the Legacy of Kain franchise alive

Crystal Dynamics is keeping the Legacy of Kain series alive with two new releases this year, the developer announced Thursday. One is a comprehensive remaster of Legacy of Kain: Defiance, while the other is a brand-new Legacy of Kain game that imagines the franchise as a retro 2D side-scrolling action-platformer game.

Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered is based on the fifth and final game in the Legacy of Kain series, which was originally released in 2003 for PlayStation 2, Windows PC, and Xbox. The Remastered version of Legacy of Kain: Defiance promises updated visuals, with upgraded character models, textures, and environments — plus the ability to switch between the classic and modern presentations on the fly. The remaster will also feature a modernized third-person camera, with the option to stick with the original fixed camera. Other enhancements include "a photo mode, alternate character skins, a comprehensive lore reader," and fan-selected "lost levels" from the original game," according to Crystal Dynamics.

Crystal Dynamics is also attempting to make Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered welcoming to newcomers, thanks to a new combat tutorial and better wayfinding mechanics — "vampire foresight navigation" — that will help players better understand what to do next and where to go.

The original Legacy of Kain: Defiance was the first game in the franchise to feature both the vampire Kain and wraith Raziel as playable characters. The time-traveling adventure was co-written by Amy Hennig, the game's director, and follows the events of Soul Reaver 2. The original Soul Reaver and its sequel were remastered in 2024 by Crystal Dynamics and Aspyr, and released under the title Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered.

Legacy of Kain: Ascendance serves as a prequel to the first Soul Reaver, and features Kain, Raziel, and a new vampire character, Elaleth, as playable protagonists. (Elaleth was first introduced in the 2024 graphic novel Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – The Dead Shall Rise.) Ascendance is described as "being built around vertical movement, fluid combat, and skill-driven play." While the majority of the action is in stylized pixelated 2D, the game will also feature original PlayStation era-inspired 3D sequences "at key narrative points, offering story-driven interaction and lore-heavy sequences."

Ascendance will also borrow another aesthetic, with anime-inspired cinematics. Voices will be provided by veteran Legacy of Kain series actors Michael Bell as Raziel, Simon Templeman as Kain, Anna Gunn as Ariel, and Richard Doyle as Moebius the Time Streamer.

Crystal Dynamics and PlayEveryWare’s Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered will be released March 3, for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC (via Epic Games Store, GOG.com, and Steam), Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. The base version of the game will cost $24.99, but serious Legacy of Kain fans will probably want the Deluxe Edition, which costs $29.99. That version will include the remaster, a comic book reader with three Legacy of Kain comics, and a demo of the unreleased game Legacy of Kain: The Dark Prophecy.

Developed by Crystal Dynamics, Bit Bot, and FreakZone Games, Legacy of Kain: Ascendance will be released March 31, for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC (via Epic Games Store, GOG.com, and Steam), and Xbox Series X. The game is priced at $19.99.