[UPDATE - May 8, 2026] CAPCOM has now released the free Resident Evil Requiem mini-game. It's called LEON MUST DIE FOREVER and introduces a few roguelike twists to the game. Find out all about it in our news story.
[ORIGINAL STORY] Resident Evil Requiem has been such a smashing success with its seven million units sold in less than two months, the fastest ever in the horror franchise, that it even caused the upward revision of CAPCOM's fiscal year 2026 forecast from a net profit of $319.9M to $341.8M (+6.9%).
Now, all those fans who loved the game are waiting for the first post-launch content drop: the mini-game, which will be released as part of a free update. Well, in an interview with Japanese website Denfaminicogamer, Game Director Koshi Nakanishi and Producer Masato Kumazawa have teased that it might be released very soon, possibly next week. More specifically, Kumazawa said it would be "just right" if players could complete the main story of Resident Evil Requiem during the "Golden Week". Finishing the campaign is a prerequisite for unlocking the mini-game. As for Golden Week, it's Japan's most significant Holiday period of the year and runs from April 29 to May 6.
Here are their translated quotes:
Nakanishi: As we've mentioned, it's a "mini-game," and it's based on the battles in the main game. However, for those who have cleared the main story and are thinking, "I still haven't had enough fun!", I think you'll be able to enjoy this and go "Whoa!!", so sharpen your tomahawk and wait.
Kumazawa: This mini-game is content that is unlocked after clearing the main story. So, if you're planning to play it, clearing the main story during Golden Week would be just right for you to be able to play it.
All in all, it sounds like Resident Evil Requiem's mini-game could be released as early as Thursday, May 7. This aligns with CAPCOM's previous statement that this new mode would be released in May. It is widely believed that the mini-game is a new version of Mercenaries, though in truth, we don't know for sure. We won't have to wait long, in any case.
By the way, the aforementioned interview also provides some interesting tidbits about Resident Evil Requiem. In Leon's chapters, approximately 90% of players chose TPS (third-person); in Grace's chapters, the split is almost even: 60% FPS vs 40% TPS. There are clear regional and platform-based differences, too: Japanese and Asian players prefer TPS, while PC players lean more toward FPS.
Nakanishi also revealed that, just as Resident Evil 7: Biohazard had a scrapped "Chapter 2," Requiem also had its own scrapped Chapter 2 cut during development (alongside plenty of other mechanics, including investigation mechanics). The team's development philosophy centred on subtraction: deliberately cutting content to improve pacing and accessibility, even when it was painful for the team. Lastly, the game's original concept was just Leon and Raccoon City; Grace's role expanded significantly during development to become a full co-protagonist.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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