Resident Evil Requiem Concept Is “Addictive Fear;” Leon a “Bad Match for Horror” Claims Devs
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Will we see Leon S. Kennedy in Resident Evil Requiem? While rumors have repeatedly mentioned that Leon will play a major part in the upcoming Resident Evil game, Capcom hasn’t confirmed or debunked his involvement…at least until now.
This time around, the developers have seemingly confirmed that Leon won’t be in RE Requiem, or at least won’t play a major part in the horror sequel.
Resident Evil Requiem Devs Don’t Think Leon Would Fit Well Into a Horror Setting
Recently, Capcom aired the latest Capcom Spotlight showcasing some of the recent developments of the publisher’s games. Unquestionably, the biggest draw here is Resident Evil Requiem, which the developers talked about for a bit.
As part of the Creator’s Message, game director Koshi Nakanishi discussed Leon and how the star of RE2 and RE4 may not fit well with a horror setting, contrasting with Resident Evil Requiem’s confirmed protagonist, Grace Ashcroft. “We always thought about making Leon the protagonist, but making a horror game based around him is difficult. He wouldn’t jump at something like a bucket falling. No one wants to see Leon scared by every little thing, so he’s actually quite a bad match for horror.”
What Nakanishi makes sense given how Leon can pretty much just kill anything and everything he comes across, though I don’t necessarily agree the character is a bad match for horror given both RE2 and RE4 starting Leon handled horror quite well.
Now here’s the odd thing here: Nakanishi name-dropped Leon out of nowhere, and it’s strange to see why. My guess is, he is difussing the rumors that Leon is the main protagonist of Resident Evil Requiem along with Grace Ashcroft.
However, reliable leakers like DuskGolem have doubled down on this and said he is “100% sure Leon is the protagonist still.” Also of note, Nakanishi doesn’t actually say Leon isn’t in the game, but that the character is just a bad match for horror.
DuskGolem also mentions how RE: Requiem isn’t marketed as just a pure horror experience. In Capcom’s own press release, they mention Requiem as “combining deeply terrifying aspects of psychological horror with pulse-pounding action that franchise fans know and love.” Not only that, but Capcom also says the new Resident Evil game “will feature high-stakes cinematic action that will take the series in a bold new direction.”
DuskGolem believes Capcom is baiting the fanbase, which wouldn’t be out of line given how the devs even did that with the reveal at Summer Game Fest by pretending we wouldn’t hear about Resident Evil: Requiem until much later.
Resident Evil: Requiem Is Leaning Into “Addictive Fear” at Its Core
In a much longer Creator’s Message video that aired after Capcom’s Spotlight, the developers shared their core concept for Resident Evil: Requiem is what they call “addictive fear.” Wondering what that means, exactly? Nakanishi explains, “Addictive fear” means that even though fear is at the core, you still can’t stop. You want to see what comes next. Even if you die, you think, ‘Maybe it would have gone better if I tried this.’ You want to try again. And the sense of accomplishment you get after overcoming that fear. makes you want to play more, to the point it becomes addictive. Creating this kind of gameplay experience is what Requiem aims for.”
I have to admit, I am digging this design principle, though one can argue that the Resident Evil franchise always had that “addictive fear” design baked into it.
For more on RE: Requiem, check out the first story and character details revealed by Capcom.
Resident Evil: Requiem is set for release on February 27, 2026, on thejPS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, and is easily one of our most anticipated games of the upcoming year already.
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