Resident Evil 9 began development as an open-world multiplayer game, and though the game was rebooted, the current version retains some of its original premise.
Speaking on X, well-known CAPCOM leaker Dusk Golem commented on the latest rumors on the yet-to-be-revealed new entry in the survival horror series, revealing that the game started development back in 2017 and was originally meant to be the exact opposite of Resident Evil VII: Biohazard, an open-world multiplayer game starring Leon Kenney and Jill Valentine set on a fictional island based off Singapore. The reason why CAPCOM was going with such a game was due to Resident Evil VII: Biohazard underperforming at the time, and the desire to make something that was the exact opposite of a game that was not meeting sales expectations. Resident Evil 9, however, didn't remain an open-world game for long. Development was rebooted around 2021 when Resident Evil Village came out, and most of its premise changed, although some elements remain the same, as well as Leon being the protagonist.
Besides revealing these interesting Resident Evil 9 tidbits, Dusk Golem provided a minor update on other series projects in the works. The Resident Evil Zero remake underwent some significant changes around half a year ago, and he believes what another leaker said regarding its reveal timing, which should be soon. In addition, Revelations 3, which was revealed a few years ago via a massive leak, was canceled in 2022.
Very little is known about Resident Evil 9 at the moment, other than the fact that it has been in development for a while. Despite the silence, however, the game is reportedly still set for a 2025 reveal and a 2026 launch. With plenty of showcases and events in the next few weeks, the wait may finally be over to see how the game will reinvent the series, which is reportedly why it is taking so long to release.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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