Capcom eventually returned to a single-player, offline formula because fans weren’t interested in an open-world or online Resident Evil.
Resident Evil Requiem was initially conceived as an open-world, possibly online-focused game, but Capcom ultimately scrapped that idea. In the extended version of the Resident Evil Requiem Creator’s Message video, director Koshi Nakanishi confirmed that the rumors were true.
“You may have heard some rumors. Things like an online Resident Evil or an open-world Resident Evil—we experimented with that for a while. But eventually, while we had some interesting ideas, we realized it wasn’t what fans wanted to see or play. So we went back to the drawing board and created what would become Resident Evil Requiem.”
This sheds light on why Masachika Kawata, the producer, began the video by clarifying that Resident Evil Requiem is an offline, single-player title. This is particularly notable at a time when many publishers seem intent on forcing online models onto historically solo-focused games—whether players want it or not.
It’s worth pondering how different other games might have turned out had their developers recognized this earlier, like Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which initially followed a live-service model pushed by EA leadership before pivoting back, albeit perhaps too late.
Resident Evil Requiem launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC on February 27, 2026.
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