History of Devil May Cry in Timeline

Devil May Cry is an action-adventure franchise focused on demon hunter Dante and his mission to prevent demon invasions of Earth. Developed and published by Capcom, the series emphasizes stylish combat. Players must create long chains of attacks while avoiding damage to achieve high performance grades, which are based on combat style, time taken, and item usage.

1998: Resident Evil 2 Completion and Preliminary Work on Resident Evil PS2

In 1998, after the completion of Resident Evil 2, Team Little Devil, under Hideki Kamiya, began preliminary work on a PlayStation 2 installment of the Resident Evil series.

2002: First Devil May Cry Light Novel Published in Japan

In 2002, the first Devil May Cry light novel, Devil May Cry Volume 1, written by Shinya Goikeda, was published in Japan in conjunction with the release of the first game.

Devil May Cry Triple Pack (Import)

Check it on Amazon

2004: Devil May Cry Comic Adaptation Published

In 2004, Dreamwave Productions published three issues of a comic adaptation of the first Devil May Cry game, but the series was left unfinished.

November 2006: Devil May Cry Volume 2 Published in the US

In November 2006, Tokyopop published the Devil May Cry Volume 2 novel in the United States. The novel is set after the first game's events.

Devil May Cry Triple Pack (Import)

Check it on Amazon

June 12, 2007: Devil May Cry: The Animated Series Premieres

On June 12, 2007, Devil May Cry: The Animated Series premiered on Japan's Wowow TV network. The 12-episode series was produced by Madhouse and directed by Shin Itagaki.

July 25, 2008: WildStorm and Capcom Announce Devil May Cry Comic-Book Series

On July 25, 2008, WildStorm (a DC Comics imprint) and Capcom announced their collaboration on a Devil May Cry comic-book series, but details were never provided.

2009: Devil May Cry 4 Deadly Fortune Novel Published

In 2009, Bingo Morihashi wrote a Devil May Cry 4 novel entitled Devil May Cry 4 Deadly Fortune, published in Japan in two volumes.

4-Deadly Fortune-1 (Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko) Devil May Cry (2009) ISBN: 4044192227 [Japanese Import]

Check it on Amazon

2010: DmC: Devil May Cry Announced

In 2010, Capcom announced DmC: Devil May Cry, which was developed by Ninja Theory and supervised by Capcom, during the Tokyo Game Show.

2010: IGN Ranks Devil May Cry Games

In 2010, IGN ranked Devil May Cry number 42 and Devil May Cry 3 number 18 on its "Top 100 PlayStation 2 Games" list.

February 28, 2011: Screen Gems Buys Devil May Cry Film Rights

On February 28, 2011, Screen Gems purchased the feature-film rights to the Devil May Cry series, and Kyle Ward was hired to write the screenplay based on DmC: Devil May Cry.

2012: Devil May Cry HD Collection Release

In 2012, the Devil May Cry HD Collection, a high-definition remastering of the three PlayStation 2 titles, was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

2013: Itsuno Expressed Interest in Developing a Fifth Installment

In 2013, Hideaki Itsuno expressed interest in developing a fifth installment of Devil May Cry.

August 2015: Sengoku Basara vs. Devil May Cry Staged Play

In August 2015, Capcom produced Sengoku Basara vs. Devil May Cry, a staged amalgam of the Devil May Cry and Sengoku Basara series, which ran for 18 performances in Tokyo.

January 2016: Hideaki Itsuno Begins New Project

In mid-January 2016, Hideaki Itsuno tweeted that he had begun work on a new project, hinting at a possible future Devil May Cry game.

March 2016: Motion Capture Speculation

In March 2016, Reuben Langdon and Johnny Yong Bosch, who had worked on Devil May Cry 4, posted pictures in motion-capture gear, leading to speculation about a new game.

November 2017: Kamiya Expresses Interest in Remake and Crossover

In November 2017, Hideki Kamiya expressed interest in making a remake of the first Devil May Cry installment and a crossover game featuring Dante and Bayonetta.

May 17, 2018: DevilMayCry5.com Domain Registered

On May 17, 2018, Capcom registered the domain name "DevilMayCry5.com" under its Onamae domain register.

November 2018: Adi Shankar to Produce Devil May Cry Animated Series for Netflix

In November 2018, Adi Shankar announced that he had acquired the rights to produce a Devil May Cry animated series for Netflix, considering it part of a shared "Bootleg Multiverse" with Castlevania.

2018: Devil May Cry 5 Confirmed at E3

In 2018, Devil May Cry 5, featuring the return of Dante and Nero, was confirmed at E3 for release the following year.

2018: Devil May Cry HD Collection Release for new platforms

In 2018, the Devil May Cry HD Collection was released for the PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One.

March 1, 2019: Before the Nightmare Prequel Novel Published

On March 1, 2019, the prequel novel Before the Nightmare, written by Bingo Morihashi and set before Devil May Cry 5, was published, leading into the game's beginning.

March 7, 2019: Devil May Cry 5 Visions of V Manga Announced

On March 7, 2019, Capcom announced that a tie-in manga entitled Devil May Cry 5 Visions of V would be serialized on the Japanese manga-hosting site Line Manga.

March 8, 2019: Devil May Cry 5 Release

On March 8, 2019, Devil May Cry 5, the latest installment in the series, was released.

March 2019: Devil May Cry: The Live Hacker Musical Performances

In March 2019, Devil May Cry: The Live Hacker, a musical, was performed 13 times at Zepp DiverCity in Tokyo.

2020: Devil May Cry HD Collection Released on Switch

Between 2019 and 2020, the Devil May Cry HD Collection remasters were released as standalone titles for Nintendo Switch.

June 28, 2021: Dante Mii Costume Announced for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

On June 28, 2021, it was announced that a Mii costume based on Dante from Devil May Cry would appear in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a set for the Mii Sword fighter character.

November 2021: Shankar Reveals Episode Count and Multi-Season Arc Plans

In November 2021, Adi Shankar revealed that the first season of the Devil May Cry animated series would have 8 episodes and that he had plans for a multi-season arc, like Castlevania.

September 2024: Netflix Announces Devil May Cry Series Premiere Date

In September 2024, Netflix announced that the Devil May Cry animated series will premiere in April 2025.

December 31, 2024: Devil May Cry Series Sales Reach 33 Million Units

By December 31, 2024, the Devil May Cry series had sold 33 million units worldwide, with each installment being a Capcom Platinum Title. Devil May Cry 5 is the best-selling game in the series with approximately 10 million units sold worldwide.