Resident Evil Requiem's Shift from Multiplayer to Pure Single-Player Horror

Resident Evil Requiem's Shift from Multiplayer to Pure Single-Player Horror

Capcom's upcoming Resident Evil Requiem, the ninth mainline entry launching February 27, 2026, on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2, underwent a major pivot during its six-year development.

Originally planned as an open-world online multiplayer title, the prototype proved fun but lacked the intense scares fans expect—"horror was very mild," producer Masato Kumazawa told Press Start Australia. The team scrapped it entirely for a single-player survival horror experience, prioritizing "what fans want: to be scared."

Some prototype elements survived, though Capcom won't specify until launch, fueling speculation on hidden mechanics.

Key Features and Director's Vision

• Protagonist: FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft (daughter of Resident Evil Outbreak's Alyssa Ashcroft) investigates murders at Raccoon City's Wrenwood Hotel, ~30 years post-destruction.
• Perspectives: Switch seamlessly between first-person (default for immersion) and third-person (action focus)—a series first at launch.
• Pacing and Horror: Director Koshi Nakanishi (RE7) mirrors RE7's slow-burn tension with dynamic threats, new mechanics, and classic-inspired boss fights akin to RE2.
• Tech: RE Engine with path-traced lighting for hyper-realistic shadows and atmospheres; no Monster Hunter Wilds-style PC issues expected.

Preorders are live, with Deluxe Edition perks like a Grace-as-Lady Dimitrescu skin and Switch 2 exclusives (themed Pro Controller, first RE amiibo, RE7/RE Village/Requiem bundle). Capcom aims to top Village's 3M launch-day sales