Capcom recently shared some behind-the-scenes information about Resident Evil Requiem, revealing that it was initially planned as a live-service game. However, they abandoned that idea mid-development after realizing fans wouldn’t be interested in it. For a series known for its tight single-player horror experience, that’s kinda a relief, right?
In a Creators’ Message video from June 27, Requiem director Koshi Nakanishi opened up about the early concept phase. “You might have heard some of the rumors,” he said, mentioning experiments with an online or open-world Resident Evil. Despite some cool ideas, the team decided it wasn’t what fans wanted to see or play. So they went back to the drawing board and refocused on the series’ roots.
Honestly, it’s kinda funny to imagine a live service Resident Evil. Would that even work? Capcom has tried online Resident Evil games before, and well, they didn’t exactly set the world on fire. Take RE:Verse, a multiplayer-only title launched in 2022 for the franchise’s 25th anniversary. It’s shutting down on June 29, 2025, after peaking at just over 2,000 players on Steam – yikes.
Other multiplayer spinoffs, such as Operation Raccoon City (2012) and Umbrella Corps (2016), also received mixed reviews. So, whether a mainline Resident Evil game will ever feature multiplayer remains a big question. For now, Capcom is sticking to what works best: focused, atmospheric single-player horror.
What do you think about Capcom’s decision to scrap the live service idea? Would you have been down for an online Resident Evil experience?
