Konami announces a new Contra

Rumours of a new Contra game (as in a proper main entry in the classic series) have been doing the rounds for the last few years, with external studios like WayForward (creators of the brilliant Contra 4), M2 (Contra Rebirth) or Mercury Steam (Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, who even had a concept for a new game) being unofficially linked to a secret project.

But it's been eight years since Contra 4 and six years since Rebirth, and despite some run 'n' gun games gathering attention and success, Konami has been silent with regards to a new announcement. Until now that is.

In the latest issue of Japanese magazine Famitsu (and via NeoGaf), a new Contra game has finally been unveiled. While it's a traditional side-scrolling offering, there's a couple of potential downsides for long-time console fans.

First of all, the game won't be played (at least for now) on a console or handheld, nor even with a traditional controller - as is the norm in this genre - as it's a mobile launch planned to hit both iOS and Android devices.

Secondly, a potential global launch is not planned at the moment, with the game being produced for the Chinese market in collaboration with Tencent. Finally, likely as a result of the game's launch plans, the game will implement microtransactions as part of its business model.

Of course we all need to hear more details and see some gameplay before jumping to conclusions, but no doubt longtime fans are recalling a certain game called Contra Evolution right now...