Even though the Cuphead DLC “The Delicious Last Course” hadn’t received a firm release date yet, it was supposed to have launched sometime in 2020 (and 2019 before that). Studio MDHR is delaying its launch due to complications from the ongoing worldwide COVID pandemic that have made game development difficult, particularly for indie studios.
The developer published a message from co-founders Chad and Jared Moldenhauer explaining the delay, saying “We aren’t content for this final chapter to be anything less than our best work.” The studio is taking everything it learned in the initial development of Cuphead and pouring it into improving the animation, design, and music for “The Delicious Last Course” DLC.
“Rather than compromise on our vision in response to COVID, we’ve made the difficult decision to push back the release of The Delicious Last Course until we are confident it will delight the Cuphead community the way we feel it should,” the post continued. The developer intends to release it at some point in 2021, saying “We know many of you have been waiting to return to the Inkwell Isles, and our goal is to make the trip back there next year a truly magical one.”
In the wake of the ongoing global pandemic affecting so many, we have made the difficult decision to push back the release of The Delicious Last Course. For our wonderful Cuphead community, we’ve prepared a letter from Studio MDHR founders Chad & Jared Moldenhauer to share more. pic.twitter.com/XiU57Wcn1y
— Studio MDHR (@StudioMDHR) November 25, 2020
Cuphead was originally an Xbox exclusive title before coming to a variety of other platforms and finally landing on PS4 earlier this year (despite the developer saying in 2017 that it wouldn’t). Our review of the notoriously difficult boss rush platformer praised the magical formula that blends the difficult puzzle-like boss encounters with stunning animation reminiscent of classic cartoons. It’s a game that allows you to learn, with each death never feeling unfair, instead acting as teaching moments that lead to oftentimes quick and triumphant boss defeats once you understand how to navigate each ones’ unique mechanics.
There’s no word yet on if The Delicious Last Course DLC will release simultaneously across all platforms or receive a staggered release similar to the original game (though we doubt PlayStation owners will need to wait three more years to play it). Last year Netflix announced the production of a Cuphead animated series on the streaming platform. It premiered in June 2020 at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. The ten-episode series has a scheduled 2021 release on Netflix.
