Capcom's next mainline Resident Evil, Requiem, began life as an ambitious online open‑world multiplayer project — but the publisher quietly retooled the game into a more traditional single‑player survival horror. In recent interviews, producer Masato Kumazawa and other members of the Requiem team described why they abandoned the multiplayer concept, what design ideas survived the pivot, and how the studio is trying to reassure fans worried the series is moving back toward action.
From online ambition to a return to single‑player
Requiem was developed for roughly six years, a stretch that included an early phase when the project was envisioned as an online multiplayer, open‑world title. According to Kumazawa, that build was fun to play but lacked the intensity of fear core fans expect: 'Looking at the game when it was multiplayer, the horror part was very mild,' he said, summarising the team's reasoning.
Faced with that trade‑off, Capcom elected to convert Requiem into a single‑player experience and refocus on survival horror. The move reflects broader series debates after the varied tones of Resident Evil 4, 7 and Village — games that mixed stealth, exploration and increasingly cinematic action. Kumazawa explained the decision bluntly: fans 'want survival horror and being scared' and the team did not think they could simply 'slap on new skins and new characters' to reproduce that feeling in a multiplayer package.
What remains from the multiplayer era — and what doesn’t
Although the multiplayer incarnation was shelved, Kumazawa and others insist some design elements from that build were kept. He declined to detail what specifically survived, saying only 'there are some remaining elements, but we can't disclose what it is and how it is.' That teasing note suggests Capcom cherry‑picked systems or encounter designs that made the earlier build fun while reworking them to restore a scarier tone.
Journalists who have played early demos describe a traditional, atmospheric slice of gameplay — dim corridors, a stalking enemy and careful resource management — that feels closer in tone to the franchise's survival horror roots than to an open‑world shooter. Capcom has also said teams looked back to the original Resident Evil games for ideas on boss battles and challenge design, reinforcing the intent to reconnect with earlier entries' pacing and tension.
Design choices: perspective, protagonist and pacing
Requiem will ship with both first‑ and third‑person camera options at launch. Kumazawa acknowledged that supporting both viewpoints effectively meant making 'two different games' in some respects, but argued it gives players choice: first‑person tends to be more immersive and immediately frightening, while third‑person can soften the intensity and lets the team convey Grace Ashcroft's vulnerability through animations and reactions.
Grace, a new protagonist, is intentionally less battle‑ready than many past leads. Kumazawa described her as 'the most scared protagonist in the entire series,' and said that framing the story around a frightened character was a deliberate way to explore new types of horror. The game also ties into Resident Evil's broader lore: Grace is linked to Alyssa Ashcroft, a character from the earlier Outbreak titles, but Capcom stresses prior knowledge of those older games is not required to enjoy Requiem.
On pacing, director Koshi Nakanishi — who previously led Resident Evil 7 — told journalists he intends to borrow a similar approach to tension and release. Kumazawa added that, unlike some past entries that tilt into heavy action late in the campaign, Requiem was crafted to remain 'scary until the end,' while still using non‑horror moments strategically to heighten subsequent scares.
Platforms, control choices and the decision not to offer a public demo
Capcom will release Resident Evil Requiem on 27 February 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2. The Switch 2 port has been notable because it ships day‑and‑date with other platforms — a relatively rare move — and the team tested but ultimately dropped mouse support for that hardware in favour of gyro aiming, saying mouse input 'confused and convoluted the gameplay.'
Kumazawa also said Capcom does not plan a public demo for Requiem ahead of launch, preferring to focus the team's resources on finishing the full game. (Previews and hands‑on sessions for media have taken place at events such as Gamescom and in organised press demonstrations.)
Addressing leaks, legacy and fan expectations
The team has been sensitive to leaks and speculation. Kumazawa called specific rumours about returning characters 'fake news' unless officially confirmed by Capcom, and encouraged players to wait for official announcements.
Fans have voiced two competing concerns in recent years: that the series might become too action‑oriented, or that it might stagnate by retreading old ground. Capcom's messaging around Requiem appears designed to straddle those worries — retaining elements that made the multiplayer prototype fun, while reasserting survival horror as the defining objective. The return to Raccoon City elements and nods to Outbreak material have also been presented as respectful callbacks rather than prerequisites for enjoyment.
What to watch for
- How the unnamed 'remaining elements' from the multiplayer build actually manifest in the released game — whether in encounter variety, AI behaviour, or progression systems.
- Whether first‑ and third‑person modes truly offer parity in scare factor, or if one becomes the definitive way players experience Requiem.
- How Capcom balances late‑game action and persistent horror; past entries have divided fans when they shifted tone late in the story.
Resident Evil Requiem arrives 27 February 2026 on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2. For more from the maker of the series, see Capcom's official site: Capcom.
By refocusing Requiem on single‑player fear rather than multiplayer spectacle, Capcom is betting that the core draw of Resident Evil remains the gut‑level experience of being hunted, not shared play. Whether that gamble pays off will become clearer next February, when players can judge how much of the shelved multiplayer DNA adds fun — and whether it detracts from the chills.