2010 Cult Classic Dante's Inferno Finally Returns On Modern Hardware

6 days ago 12

Published Sep 4, 2026, 10:30 PM EDT

Ben Brosofsky has been writing for Screen Rant since 2022 and editing since 2024. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor's in Cinema & Media Arts. Writing serves as a much-needed distraction from tackling a backlog of Steam games that will never be surmounted.

Dante is a big name in gaming, but it usually refers to the protagonist of the Devil May Cry series. The poet also lends his name to a cult classic, however — the 2010 hack-and-slash game Dante's Inferno, originally released on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PSP.

In the sixteen years since its original release, Dante's Inferno has never officially returned, which isn't particularly surprising. While the game has plenty of fans, it's more of a cult classic than a beloved hit, and publisher EA tends to be more focused on raking in money from yearly sports titles. At long last, however, fans have a new way to play the game on modern hardware.

A guard in a cutscene for Dante's Inferno

YouTube channel Video Game Esoterica shared a video focusing on a new recompilation of Dante's Inferno, making the game natively playable on PC. Developer ZerkillerRO has made it clear that the recomp is an alpha release rather than a finished version, but it's already a game-changer for fans. As showcased in the video, however, it's already effectively playable in alpha form.

Recompilations translate a game's original code to work in a PC environment, opening up opportunities that aren't available when emulating games inside a program. It's an especially exciting prospect for Xbox 360 games, which have never been as easy to emulate as titles released on older console generations. Video Game Esoterica notes that Dante's Inferno was a widely requested recomp, and praises the game's performance in the context of its generally demanding nature.

For those unfamiliar with Dante's Inferno, the game was perhaps most well-known for the controversy it courted. EA hired fake religious protestors during E3 2009 to drum up attention for the game, which did ultimately receive some criticism for the achievement "Bad Nanny," awarded for killing 20 "Unbaptized Babies." Its depiction of Beatrice also came under fire, with critics arguing that it turned the character into a sexualized damsel in distress.

Amid all of that, the game was actually well-received overall, contributing to the legion of loyal fans that it clearly maintains today. While it isn't consistently original or innovative, its over-the-top nature and total commitment to a hellish atmosphere made it stand out.

If any of that sounds interesting, the new recomp makes it a lot easier to check out Dante's Inferno today. Hopefully, updates will take the project from its current alpha state to a finished, polished version of Dante's Inferno on PC over time.