Capcom Explored Open-World and Online Concepts for Resident Evil: Requiem

Capcom has confirmed it experimented with turning Resident Evil: Requiem into an open-world title with online components before ultimately shifting direction.

In a detailed developer diary video, Requiem director Koshi Nakanishi offered a glimpse of this earlier, now-canceled version, showing multiple protagonists engaged in intense firefights.

However, Capcom ultimately abandoned these ideas to refocus on the horror origins of the Resident Evil series, according to the developers. When it launches next year, Requiem will be a single-player, offline-only experience.

"We've managed to pack a lot into this game. We even explored various systems early in development," producer Masachika Kawata explained.

"You might have caught some of the rumors," Nakanishi added. "Ideas like an online Resident Evil or an open-world Resident Evil, which we spent time testing out.

"But in the end, while we had some intriguing concepts, we realized it wasn't what fans wanted to see or play. So we returned to the drawing board and built what became Resident Evil: Requiem."

You can see a few quick glimpses of the canceled online version of Requiem below:

The cancelled Resident Evil 9 project pic.twitter.com/Vu7z2tlppQ

— Waleed (@Waleedx2007) June 27, 2025

Discussing Requiem's setting, art director Tomonori Takano noted Capcom intentionally placed the game's action in urban areas to set it apart from recent entries.

Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil Village, and the recent Resident Evil 4 Remake all take place outside major cities, while Requiem brings players back to Raccoon City.

"Earlier titles often featured rural settings with abundant nature," Takano stated. "This time, the focus shifts to urban environments. There are numerous scenarios set as modern dramas, including Raccoon City."

While the setting and single-player focus of Requiem are now confirmed, Capcom remains vague about whether fan-favorite Leon S. Kennedy will also be playable alongside the announced protagonist, FBI agent Grace Ashcroft.

Yesterday's Capcom Spotlight 2025 included remarks from Nakanishi suggesting Leon would be a "poor fit for horror"—though the director did not entirely rule out the character's appearance. Fans speculate Capcom has yet to reveal Requiem's more action-packed moments, for which Leon would be better suited.