Capcom has revealed it experimented with open-world and online ideas for Resident Evil: Requiem, before deciding to stick with classic survival horror.
Capcom has revealed it experimented with open-world and online ideas for Resident Evil: Requiem, before deciding to stick with a classic, single-player survival horror experience.
Capcom explained that early prototypes for its upcoming horror title included open-world and multiplayer concepts, and producer Masachika Kawata said the team explored “an online Resident Evil” and “an open-world Resident Evil,” but scrapped both approaches after testing.
Kawata said in a developer diary video on Capcom’s website: “You might have heard some of the rumors. Things like an online Resident Evil or an open-world Resident Evil, which we spent some time experimenting with.
“But in the end, although we had some interesting concepts, we realised 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.”
The game, officially known as Resident Evil 9, returns to Raccoon City – set 30 years after the 1998 outbreak.
The title will feature a new FBI agent protagonist, Grace, and supports both first- and third-person perspectives.
Art director Tomonori Takano said the team wanted to focus on an “urban environment,” shifting away from the rural settings of recent entries.
Resident Evil: Requiem is set for release on 27 February 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Resident Evil: Requiem could have been an open-world or online game, Capcom reveals
