Resident Evil Requiem Devs Scrapped Open-World & Online Concepts After Fan Backlash

“It wasn’t what fans wanted to see or play,” says director Koshi Nakanishi, reflecting on an ambitious early version of Resident Evil Requiem that never made it past the prototype stage.

For months, Resident Evil Requiem—previously rumored as Resident Evil 9—was the subject of speculation ranging from setting details to returning fan-favorite characters. One of the most surprising rumors? That the game once featured online gameplay and open-world elements before undergoing a complete overhaul.

Now, that rumor has been confirmed.

In a recent Creators’ Message video from Capcom, game director Koshi Nakanishi acknowledged that the development team did, in fact, experiment with a vastly different version of the game during early development.

“You might have heard some of the rumors—things like an online Resident Evil or an open-world Resident Evil,” Nakanishi said. “We spent some time experimenting with those ideas. But in the end, although we had some interesting concepts, we realized that it wasn’t what fans wanted to see or play. So we went back to the drawing board and created what led to Resident Evil Requiem.”

🎮 A Return to Roots — and a New Hero

According to producer Masachika Kawata, Requiem is firmly a single-player, offline survival horror game—a pivot that better aligns with the series’ atmospheric legacy.

The new protagonist is Grace Ashcroft, a character built specifically to support the game’s pure horror direction. While longtime hero Leon S. Kennedy was reportedly considered, Kawata explained that he was ultimately a “bad match” for the tone of this installment.

Still, some rumors persist that Leon may appear as a playable character later in the story—though Capcom has not confirmed this.

🗓️ Launch Details

Resident Evil Requiem is set to release on February 27, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The game will be playable at Gamescom from August 20–24, offering fans a first look at Capcom’s fresh horror vision.

Stay tuned for more details as the game’s showcase approaches. If the early changes are anything to go by, Requiem could be one of the most bold (and fan-conscious) entries the franchise has seen in years.