Capcom made a safe bet and then shook it up. At The Game Awards the studio confirmed what fans had suspected: Leon S. Kennedy is playable in Resident Evil: Requiem. But the headline isn’t just “Leon returns.” It’s how Capcom plans to play him against a new co‑lead, Grace Ashcroft, to create a deliberate rhythm of horror and release.
Two protagonists, two moods
Director Akifumi Nakanishi and producer Masato Kumazawa told Automaton that Requiem’s story is one unified narrative, but gameplay alternates between Leon and Grace. The split isn’t cosmetic — it’s structural. "Grace is 'the biggest scaredy‑cat in Resident Evil history,'" Nakanishi quipped, while Leon is now an older, seasoned agent who brings the action.
The developers describe the contrast as "like jumping into a cold bath after sitting in a hot sauna." That image captures their intent: long, tense horror beats in Grace’s chapters, punctuated by high‑adrenaline, release‑focused sequences with Leon. Nakanishi said the sections are "almost equally split," modeled on the ebb and flow approach used in Resident Evil: Revelations.
What this means for gameplay
If you’re hoping for classical survival horror, Grace’s chapters are the one to watch — think Resident Evil 2 vibes: claustrophobic investigation, creeping dread, and the kind of pacing that makes every creak feel menacing. Leon’s segments, on the other hand, lean into the Resident Evil 4 playbook: faster encounters, new melee and martial moves, and a willingness to shove players into combat rather than wait for scares.
The trailer backed that up in cinematic fashion. We see an older, gruffer Leon in action: investigating crime scenes, swinging an axe, and at one point ripping into a tense setpiece with a chainsaw. The team says they added new actions to give Leon a "strong sense of release" after Grace’s more fearful sequences. In short: you’ll be terrified, then you’ll let loose.
Dressing the part — Leon as an "ikeoji"
Capcom has clearly leaned into who Leon is at this point in the timeline. Designers refined him into an "ikeoji" — Japanese slang for a stylish, attractive older man — balancing grit and charm. Nakanishi and Kumazawa promised dry wit and subtle sarcasm from an older Leon, and that character work is central to the game; it’s not just about firepower.
They also hinted at emotional stakes: this is Leon’s first return to Raccoon City since the events of Resident Evil 2, so how he responds to the place "where it all began" is part of the story’s pull.
A Porsche in Raccoon City? Sure.
In a move that felt almost surreal among the rot and gore, Capcom confirmed an official collaboration with Porsche. Leon’s ride is a custom Cayenne Turbo GT built to fit Requiem’s world — a one‑of‑a‑kind in‑game car. Producer Kumazawa said Porsche agreed to a full collaboration, and footage of the vehicle will appear in the game. Whether it survives the usual Resident Evil tendences to shred transportation remains to be seen (the devs joked about helicopters usually getting blown up), but it adds a flashy bit of texture to Leon’s chapters.
When and where to play
Resident Evil: Requiem is scheduled for release on February 27, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC (Steam). If you’re thinking of playing on Sony hardware, note that the game will be available on PS5 platforms — including the newer consoles like the PS5 Pro that many players are eyeing for next‑gen performance.
Releasing on Nintendo’s next portable‑console hybrid also matters: Capcom has been explicit about supporting Switch 2, and the platform’s commercial momentum makes this a timely launch for Nintendo owners. Nintendo’s forecasts and release schedule for the Switch 2 suggest the platform is growing into a viable place for big third‑party releases, which helps explain Requiem’s multi‑platform push (Nintendo raises Switch 2 forecast; Switch 2 release schedule reconfirmed).
The tone — scary, then cathartic
Capcom’s game design here is deliberate: not simply "make it scary," but sculpt the feeling of fear and then reward the player with catharsis through action. Nakanishi framed that as a feature unique to Resident Evil’s identity — tension followed by release — and Requiem aims to make that oscillation a core part of the experience.
For long‑time fans this is notable: Leon hasn’t been a main protagonist since Resident Evil 6, and the team says they pushed his combat to new limits. For newcomers, the devs insist prior knowledge of the lore isn’t required — you only need to know Leon’s connection to Raccoon City to understand his motivations.
If you prefer your scares slow and creeping, Grace will deliver. If you want to trade bullets and blades for relief, Leon’s your chapter. Either way, the studio is promising a mood swing that’s meant to keep players off balance in the best way.
Resident Evil: Requiem looks like it wants to be many things at once — a gothic mystery, a high‑octane action thriller, and an emotional visit to an iconic setting. Capcom’s gamble is that alternating those tones will feel like a coherent whole rather than two games stitched together. We’ll know more once the demos and hands‑on previews roll in early next year, but for now the image of Leon behind the wheel of a Porsche and swinging a chainsaw is hard to unsee — in the best sense.