Thank god someone said it. DmC has been about for five years now and I think its finally about time that we bury the hatchet and let the modesty slowly sink back in.
DmC is and will always be Devil May Cry. That's something no fan or anyone in the fanbase will ever be able to change. DmC still follows the elements of Devil May Cry as Jim has said. The over-the-topness, the larger then life demons, a swaggering protaganist who has an eye for the ladies but a bullet for the demons, and it's a hack n slash game that allows you to do wicked combos. That's Devil May Cry in any merit of the name.
After five years, there are still people who insist that its not a good Devil May Cry game, but really it's every bit as Devil May Cry as any of the other ones. Just in an alternate universe and alternate ways to do the same moves as past games. Despite the outter appearence of Dante (Let's not try to fool ourselves, that was the biggest thing) it's still Dante.
As for the future of the franchise, only time will tell. But one thing is certain; if both Definitive AND Special Edition don't do well, then there will literally be NO. MORE. Devil May Cry of neither series. But we're all too busy arguing over which Dante has the biggest cum stain that it's almost childishly laughable.
But DmC is done and had its time in the light. I won't forget the fun I had with it and will certainly play it over and over. Of course I'll also still look forward to DMC4: SE. I won't buy it, but I will see how it is.