The core survival-horror elements of Resident Evil Requiem have been showcased effectively in recent events (such as Gamescom 2025), but a crucial part of the experience, combat, has remained unseen until today. Unfortunately, the reveal wasn't accompanied by the confirmation all fans are waiting for: the presence of Leon Kennedy in the game.
A few hours ago, new Resident Evil Requiem combat footage started making the rounds online. The short clip was shown in a series' special program which aired in Japan earlier today. This clip showcases a brand-new area and Grace fighting multiple zombies using a handgun in some third-person sequences that are highly reminiscent of Resident Evil 4. As known insider Dusk Golem stressed, having aired on Japanese television, the footage was captured from a censored version of the game, so blood and gore should be as usual in the international version of the game.
The Leon Kennedy Speculation Continues
With the first Resident Evil Requiem combat footage not showing Leon Kennedy in action, the window for such a critical reveal is becoming tighter.
In the previous months, it was speculated that the protagonist of the second and fourth main entries in the series would be the focus of the game's combat elements, and revealing his presence alongside the combat mechanics would have made a lot of sense. Hopes haven't been dashed completely, as game producer Masato Kumazawa recently addressed the rumors without denying them, though, so there's still a chance the beloved character will be the second protagonist of Resident Evil Requiem alongside Grace Ashcroft, maybe even at the next look coming during this year's The Game Awards. And with the PlayStation Store leaking a new cover art showing the character, it's almost certain that the first look at the character will indeed come during the event.
No matter what Leon's role will be in the game, there's no denying that Resident Evil Requiem is looking great in the new footage. The new entry in the series felt really promising when I tried it out during this year's Gamescom, and I look forward to delving deeper into the darkness when the game launches on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Nintendo Switch on February 27.
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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