After Onimusha, These 5 Capcom Franchises Deserve A Revival Next

Capcom has been on a historic hot streak in 2026, with several well-regarded best-sellers under their belt. Resident Evil Requiem and Pragmata proved that the company’s most enduring franchises and freshest IP can deliver, but it’s the success of Onimusha: Way of the Sword that is most encouraging for longtime fans. The series has been dormant for twenty years but has become a solid success story for Capcom, thanks to tight gameplay and a compelling narrative.

If Capcom wants to build off that success, then they should continue to look at the properties in their library that have been underserved over the years. In fact, according to reporting from IGN, that’s exactly what the publisher is doing. With that in mind, here are five fan-favorite franchises from across Capcom history that would be perfect follow-ups to Onimusha‘s success.

Viewtiful Joe

One of Capcom’s most visually arresting franchises, Viewtiful Joe was a clever and cinema-inspired riff on the side-scrolling beat-’em-up. Brought to life with a colorful cel-shaded approach and given unique energy through its rewind and fast-forward mechanic, Viewtiful Joe has remained a cult classic from the turn of the century despite only having a few games. However, the game feels perfectly suited for the modern era and is long overdue for a revival.

The colorful cel-shaded look has been refined on modern platforms, ensuring a new Viewtiful Joe would look absolutely gorgeous. The evolution of counters and dodges in combat mechanics could easily influence how a new iteration of the series challenges players. The meta-comedy of the original has also become significantly more broadly embraced thanks to shows like Rick and Morty and characters like Deadpool, suggesting the game’s tone might be perfectly suited for modern players.

Darkstalkers

Capcom has plenty of great fighting franchises under their umbrella, but one of the most underserved is Darkstalkers. The extreme Street Fighter riff on classic monster archetypes has lingered in the public consciousness thanks in part to their popularity as characters for crossover games like Marvel vs. Capcom. However, the series hasn’t had a formal new release in decades and has been largely relegated to re-releases and remasters.

The series would be a great pick for a new fighting game revival, especially in an era where titles like Invincible Vs. and Street Fighter 6 have reaffirmed the popularity of the classic fighting game mechanic. Leaning either more heavily into the stylized approach or embracing a more gruesome approach could help give a new Darkstalkers a distinct style compared to the rest of the genre. Darkstalkers would be a perfect title to give to a developer like Arc System Works, who have proven with Dragon Ball FighterZ that they can recreate the spirit of a property while updating it with the tightest 2D fighting mechanics on the market.

Star Gladiator

One of Capcom’s more obscure fighting properties, even compared to something like Darkstalkers, Star Gladiator was the publisher’s sci-fi answer to games like Soulcalibur. The 3D weapons-centric fighting game was a tightly designed arcade fighter that rewarded precise gameplay. Despite solid reviews at the time of release, the game never really expanded into the kind of enduring franchise that Capcom is best known for.

Those unique elements are exactly what would make it a fun game to bring back for the modern era. The evolution of the Soulcalibur series highlighted how a weapons-centric fighting game could feel unique, something that modern console capabilities could push even further with sci-fi creations and bizarre weapons. With so much time passing between this game and the original, Star Gladiator could offer Capcom a massive canvas to play with.

Okami

One of Capcom’s most visually stunning games, Okami is quickly became one of Capcom’s most critically acclaimed titles in the 2000s. The game, which feels at times like a fusion of The Legend of Zelda and Japanese mythology. A sequel to the game was announced in 2024, although there have been few concrete updates since then.

Okami has some of the most intriguing potential among any of the games on this list, as the game’s expansive world lends itself well to the gorgeous graphics and immersive worlds that modern platforms are capable of creating. The expansive world of the original game could easily lend itself to different myths and focal points. With Okami 2 already on the way, hopefully the game can lay the groundwork for a larger franchise.

Bionic Commando

One of Capcom’s most entertaining early hits, Bionic Commando was an action platformer that found the right balance between the two by making its central mechanic the grappling gun that the titular commando uses while making their way through dangerous enemy territory. Starting as an arcade game and gradually moving to consoles, the game became a crucial step in the development of the platforming genre. The series got a few sequels over the years but has been dormant since 2011’s Bionic Commando Rearmed 2.

The series is long overdue for a remake or a reimagining, especially if it leaned into its wild original narrative about fighting an enduring Nazi regime and went the bombastic but emotionally raw direction of the Wolfenstein remakes. The development of swinging mechanics in games like Marvel’s Spider-Man highlights how effective the mechanic can be in the modern era, with modern developers likely having a field day with Bionic Commando‘s central toolkit. With Onimusha underscoring Capcom’s vast library, games like Bionic Commando could be both nostalgic returns and exciting new titles.