Resident Evil Requiem originally planned as online multiplayer

Resident Evil Requiem was originally planned as an online multiplayer title. Producer Masachika Kawata confirmed the ninth mainline Resident Evil game began life as an online-focused experience, internally codenamed 'Apocalypse'.

Early development included prototypes exploring online multiplayer and open-world concepts. Game director Koshi Nakanishi initially developed the project with this online framework in mind. Research conducted partway through development, however, yielded unfavorable results. Capcom decided to abandon the online multiplayer direction after evaluating those results and the expected community response.

Shift to narrative horror

The team reoriented the game toward a narrative structure with two protagonists to balance horror and action. Leon S. Kennedy was the first character chosen as a protagonist. The team felt Leon alone would make the game too action-oriented and less scary. To address this, they introduced a new character, Grace Ashcroft.

Grace is an FBI analyst whose sections focus on psychological terror, resource management, and a first-person perspective in closed environments. Leon, a veteran DSO agent, is featured in sections focused on intense action sequences and tactical investigation from a third-person perspective. This dual approach allowed the developers to prioritize the horror concept they felt was core to the series.

Success and legacy

Despite its radical change in direction, Resident Evil Requiem became a critical and commercial success. The game sold over 8 million copies globally and is considered one of the most acclaimed entries in the franchise. Kawata shared the details of its online origins in the Biohazard 30th Special Mook, a 124-page fan book released for the series' 30th anniversary.

The shift away from multiplayer reflects a broader pattern at Capcom. In 2022, franchise producer Jun Takeuchi stated that the company faced a big marketing push to make games players were asking for, including online multiplayer and microtransactions. Regarding Resident Evil 7, he said, "the idea of multiplayer was killed off quickly due to lack of good ideas, leading to a single-player horror game." Management had similarly pushed for multiplayer and microtransactions during that game's conceptual phase.

Capcom is moving full speed ahead with many high-profile IPs, including Resident Evil. A Code Veronica remake is set to release in February next year. While the developers of Resident Evil Requiem did not move forward with an online version, it remains possible another online Resident Evil title, such as a new Resident Evil Outbreak, could be released in the future.