Two New Cuphead Projects Mark a Turning Point for the Series
Cuphead’s next chapter refers to Studio MDHR’s twin projects that expand the series with a new hand-animated mainline game in early development and Mighty Cuphead Adventure, an 8-bit platformer spin-off built to evoke classic hardware while bringing the characters to modern platforms. Announced at Summer Game Fest, the move signals a clear shift from a single run-and-gun title toward a broader franchise strategy. The original Cuphead launched in 2017, followed by The Delicious Last Course expansion, and the brand has been quiet on new games since. Now, an untitled, fully hand-animated Cuphead new game has been teased through a stop-motion trailer, while a smaller internal team focuses on the retro-inspired Mighty Cuphead Adventure. Together, these projects suggest Studio MDHR is ready to grow Cuphead into a multi-format universe with different visual styles and gameplay ideas.
A New Hand-Animated Cuphead Game in Early Development
Studio MDHR has confirmed that a brand-new, hand-animated Cuphead game is in development, described as the first substantial follow-up to the original release and its later expansion. The project has no title, footage, or release window yet, and the studio says it remains in the “early stages” of development, so expectations should be tempered for the near term. Announced via a stop-motion teaser created with external partners, the new Cuphead game appears focused on continuing the painstaking, frame-by-frame animation that defined the series’ 1930s cartoon aesthetic. While no gameplay details are confirmed, the wording positions it as a mainline successor rather than a side project. According to MobileSyrup, Studio MDHR only teased the project and avoided confirming whether it will be called "Cuphead 2," underlining how open the creative direction still is.
Mighty Cuphead Adventure: An 8-Bit Platformer Spin-Off
If the new hand-animated title is the long-term pillar, Mighty Cuphead Adventure is the near-term experiment. Revealed at Summer Game Fest, this platformer spin-off trades Cuphead’s fluid cartoon look for a deliberate 8-bit style. Built by a smaller team within Studio MDHR, the action platformer was programmed using classic Assembly Language and designed around Sega Master System-era specifications, then adapted to run on modern consoles and PC. That technical choice gives Mighty Cuphead Adventure the feel of a period-authentic retro game rather than a modern imitation. FullCleared notes that it “swaps the 1930s cartoon look for a full 8-bit makeover,” reframing Cuphead and Mugman as old-school run-and-gun heroes. There is still no release window, but the project is said to be further along than the new hand-animated game, implying it may reach players first.
A Dual-Track Strategy to Grow the Cuphead Universe
Running two Cuphead projects in parallel signals a more ambitious, diversified future for the series. On one track, Studio MDHR is preserving the painstaking, hand-animated identity that made Cuphead famous, preparing a new mainline game that can sit alongside the 2017 original and its expansion. On the other, Mighty Cuphead Adventure uses a smaller team to push into retro action-platformer territory, treating the characters as a flexible cast that can move between art styles and mechanics. This dual approach expands Cuphead beyond a single run-and-gun formula and into a wider universe of formats, without abandoning the studio’s fondness for classic animation and game design. With no dates set for either project, the near-term story is about intent: Studio MDHR is no longer maintaining one landmark title, but cultivating a franchise that can evolve across style, technology, and genre.
