After the much-maligned sixth mainline entry, Resident Evil VII and the Resident Evil 2 Remake hauled the series back from the brink, turning Requiem, due out in late February, into one of the most anticipated survival horror games around. We already know Grace Ashcroft is the lead and press previews have painted a promising picture, yet a thick fog of mystery still surrounds the project – fueled in no small part by rumors, which producer Masato Kumazawa has now finally addressed when it comes to Leon S. Kennedy.

The releases of Resident Evil VII and the Resident Evil 2 Remake breathed new life into a franchise that looked all but spent after the heavily criticized Resident Evil 6. Capcom managed to push one of its flagship series back to the center of the conversation, which is why Requiem, scheduled for late February, is currently one of the hottest upcoming horror titles on the calendar.

Even so, there is a lingering feeling that we still do not fully understand what Requiem has in store. We know its heroine, Grace Ashcroft, we have read several hands-on reports, and developers have appeared at digital events to talk about their work, yet the game retains a deliberate air of secrecy. A major reason for that is the constant swirl of speculation and leaks that has surrounded the project for months.

Two big fan theories have dominated the conversation. One claims the game will feature an open world you can traverse on a motorcycle – an idea that has never been officially confirmed, but which some fans believe they spotted in a promotional map shared on social media by the official Resident Evil Games account. The other rumor focuses on the saga’s most iconic hero, Leon S. Kennedy.

On paper, Grace appears to be the only playable protagonist, and the gameplay footage released so far is entirely centered on her. Nonetheless, leakers keep insisting that Leon is Capcom’s hidden ace, suggesting he will show up in some form despite the studio’s silence. After months of sidestepping the topic, producer Masato Kumazawa has finally commented on this snowballing theory in an interview with Stevivor.

“What I’d like to say is that, please, unless something has been officially commented on by Capcom, we can’t offer any confirmation,” the developer begins, before addressing one of the supposed pieces of “evidence” behind the rumor – a picture that allegedly showed Leon in Requiem. “A photo of Leon with an eye patch has recently surfaced, and it basically suggested that there would be DLC or a new outfit for Leon; but I’d like to make it clear that all of this is fake news.”

If Capcom is still holding back surprises for Requiem, the window to reveal them is getting smaller. The Game Awards in early December will be a prime opportunity to put the game back in the spotlight and, perhaps, finally clear up the mystery surrounding Leon’s possible involvement.

Source: 3djuegos