The game’s director believes Leon wouldn’t work as the lead in a horror title, and that’s why Capcom took a different route this time.

Appearing during Capcom Spotlight, Koshi Nakanishi, director of Resident Evil Requiem, confirmed several times that Grace Ashcroft will be the lead protagonist—as revealed in the game’s first trailer. He elaborated on why Grace is the right fit for this installment and why Leon S. Kennedy, despite his legacy, isn’t quite the right choice.

“The concept behind the game was ‘addictive fear.’ There’s a certain catharsis in overcoming fear. It creates a kind of addiction that makes you want to keep going, to play more. Grace Ashcroft is an FBI intelligence analyst. She’s introverted and easily frightened—something new for the Resident Evil franchise. We wanted a character who experiences horror from the same angle as the player. We considered Leon as a protagonist, but it’s hard to build a horror game around him. He wouldn’t flinch at something as simple as a falling bucket. Nobody wants to see Leon scared of everything. He’s just a bad fit for horror.”

Over the course of the game, Grace will gradually learn to conquer her fears. As an FBI agent, she’s also trained in firearms and capable of rational, calm decision-making. Many characters from the early days of the outbreak lost their lives or were changed forever by what happened. The Resident Evil series was born out of the Umbrella Corporation and the Raccoon City incident. The name “Requiem” reflects that legacy—it’s a eulogy for those who came before,” Nakanishi said.

Of course, this type of protagonist isn’t new to the franchise. Resident Evil 7—also directed by Nakanishi—introduced Ethan Winters, who ventured into a remote Louisiana estate but spent most of the game panicking. In the sequel, he toughened up, taped his hand back on, and literally rebuilt his daughter from pieces.

Nakanishi and art director Tomonori Takano spoke about how meaningful it was to return to Raccoon City. According to Takano, the franchise became truly iconic thanks to stories set during the initial zombie outbreak. Since then, many characters have matured through that trauma—and now, almost anyone could return: Chris and Claire Redfield, Ada Wong, Jill Valentine, or even Leon S. Kennedy.

Resident Evil Requiem launches on February 27 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC.

Source: PCGamer