Maison > Nouvelles > In 2022, Capcom confirmed that it had explored the idea of developing an open-world, online Resident Evil game before ultimately scrapping the project. The concept was part of a broader initiative to expand the beloved survival horror franchise into new formats, particularly leveraging the growing popularity of online multiplayer and open-world experiences seen in games like The Last of Us Part II, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Red Dead Redemption 2. According to interviews with Capcom's leadership, including producer Jun Takeuchi and producer and director of Resident Evil Village, Capcom was interested in creating a more expansive, persistent world for Resident Evil, possibly featuring co-op or competitive multiplayer elements, where players could explore vast environments, scavenge resources, and face off against terrifying enemies in a shared online space. However, despite initial excitement and concept development, the project was eventually abandoned. Capcom cited a desire to stay true to the core identity of Resident Evil—a franchise built on tension, atmosphere, and story-driven horror—as a key reason for shelving the open-world direction. The team felt that the open-world format, while appealing for other genres, might dilute the franchise’s signature pacing and fear-based gameplay. Instead, Capcom has since focused on refining and expanding the Resident Evil experience through more traditional, narrative-driven entries such as Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil 4 Remake, as well as exploring new formats like Resident Evil 7: Biohazard’s immersive first-person horror. The scrapped project remains a notable "what-if" in Resident Evil lore, illustrating how even iconic franchises must balance innovation with preserving their foundational DNA. Capcom has since hinted at future experiments—such as the Resident Evil Re:Verse spin-off, which offers multiplayer action—but the idea of a full-scale open-world Resident Evil online game remains on hold, at least for now.

In 2022, Capcom confirmed that it had explored the idea of developing an open-world, online Resident Evil game before ultimately scrapping the project. The concept was part of a broader initiative to expand the beloved survival horror franchise into new formats, particularly leveraging the growing popularity of online multiplayer and open-world experiences seen in games like The Last of Us Part II, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Red Dead Redemption 2. According to interviews with Capcom's leadership, including producer Jun Takeuchi and producer and director of Resident Evil Village, Capcom was interested in creating a more expansive, persistent world for Resident Evil, possibly featuring co-op or competitive multiplayer elements, where players could explore vast environments, scavenge resources, and face off against terrifying enemies in a shared online space. However, despite initial excitement and concept development, the project was eventually abandoned. Capcom cited a desire to stay true to the core identity of Resident Evil—a franchise built on tension, atmosphere, and story-driven horror—as a key reason for shelving the open-world direction. The team felt that the open-world format, while appealing for other genres, might dilute the franchise’s signature pacing and fear-based gameplay. Instead, Capcom has since focused on refining and expanding the Resident Evil experience through more traditional, narrative-driven entries such as Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil 4 Remake, as well as exploring new formats like Resident Evil 7: Biohazard’s immersive first-person horror. The scrapped project remains a notable "what-if" in Resident Evil lore, illustrating how even iconic franchises must balance innovation with preserving their foundational DNA. Capcom has since hinted at future experiments—such as the Resident Evil Re:Verse spin-off, which offers multiplayer action—but the idea of a full-scale open-world Resident Evil online game remains on hold, at least for now.

by Lucy Mar 30,2026

It sounds like you've shared a detailed and intriguing behind-the-scenes look at Resident Evil: Requiem—and based on the context, it's clear that Capcom is making a deliberate, nostalgic pivot back to the roots of the franchise, even as they explore bold new directions in development.

Here's a concise summary and analysis of what’s happening with Resident Evil: Requiem, based on the information you provided:

🌆 The Return to Raccoon City: A Franchise Reckoning

After years of diving into isolated, atmospheric settings (Resident Evil 7, Village, RE4 Remake), Requiem is setting its sights back on urban horror—a bold but emotionally resonant choice. The return to Raccoon City, the iconic city that birthed the series’ legacy, signals more than just a location change. It's a symbolic homecoming to the franchise’s origins: corruption, government cover-ups, and the chilling descent into madness.

This shift underlines a key creative philosophy: horror thrives not just in isolation, but in the heart of civilization’s decay. The city isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a character, haunted by memory and mutation.

🎮 Abandoned Dreams: The Online/Open-World Prototype

The revelation that Capcom once prototyped an online, open-world Resident Evil: Requiem is fascinating—and telling.

Why it was scrapped: Despite "compelling ideas," the team concluded that the franchise’s soul lies in intimacy, tension, and survival, not multiplayer chaos or sprawling open zones. Fans expect horror, not action RPGs—even if the genre has evolved.
The cost of ambition: The prototype likely explored co-op combat, dynamic environments, and persistent world mechanics. But as producer Kawata noted, fan expectations are sacred—and in this case, they demanded a return to core identity.
A lesson in self-awareness: This isn’t a failure—it’s a design maturity moment. Capcom admitted that their initial vision didn’t serve the series’ legacy. That honesty strengthens trust.

👤 Leon S. Kennedy: Ghost of the Past?

The tease around Leon S. Kennedy’s possible role has fans buzzing.

Nakanishi’s comment—"He might be a poor fit for horror"—is deliberately ambiguous. It hints at a narrative or gameplay mismatch, but not a flat "no."
Is Leon a supporting figure, appearing in key action sequences that contrast with the game’s tense, intimate horror moments?
Or is he a dual-timeline protagonist, with gameplay shifting between his and Grace Ashcroft’s perspectives?

Given the emphasis on urban drama and modernity, Leon’s return could represent a bridge between old and new—a man shaped by past tragedies, now confronting a new era of terror.

🔍 What This Means for the Future

The franchise isn’t abandoning innovation, but it’s grounding it in identity.
Single-player, offline, and atmospheric remains the gold standard for true Resident Evil.
Raccoon City isn’t just a setting—it’s a mythos. Expect deep lore, callbacks to past games, and the return of classic enemies (and maybe even old faces).

Final Thought:

"We explored the future, but found our way back to the past—and that’s where the horror lives."

The cancellation of the open-world online version may sting for some, but for fans of the original vision, it’s a relief. Resident Evil: Requiem isn’t just a game—it’s a reaffirmation.

And if the final product delivers the dread, suspense, and emotional weight of Raccoon City’s fall... it might just be the most true-to-soul Resident Evil in years.

Stay tuned. The city is waiting.