Multiple leaks claim that Resident Evil 9 will finally be revealed at Summer Game Fest. If true, the game will reportedly feature Leon, as well as a brand-new playable character. Here is everything we know so far about RE9, including its Gothic horror setting.
‘Resident Evil 9’ Reveal Imminent According to Leaks
Rumors around Resident Evil 9 have been swirling for months now. So, while “leaks” suggesting it could be announced soon are nothing new, we got an interesting development about the project this week. On June 2, outlet MP1st released a report stating that they could corroborate leaks that Resident Evil 9 would, in fact, finally be revealed this week. Although the outlet was unsure if Capcom would announce it at Summer Game Fest or on their own socials.
However, things got even more interesting when prolific insider NateDrake chimed in and apparently seemed to confirm the Resident Evil 9 leak further. On Twitter, he responded to a comment specifically mentioning the RE9 reveal rumor: “The reports from yesterday are accurate.” So, with multiple insiders and leaks now saying the new Resident Evil will be unveiled soon, it sure seems like it’s going to happen.
A Resident Evil 9 reveal also just makes sense. If you look at previous games in the series, this is around the time when the next title would normally be announced. As for the Resident Evil 9 release date, leaks say that it’s aiming for 2026. Although that release window is more speculation, as rumors have been a bit all over the place in that regard.
All ‘RE9’ Leaks So far
So, as we go into the alleged RE9 reveal this week, I thought it would be fun to take a look back at what leaks have been saying about the game. Most of these come from infamous Capcom insider Dusk Golem. The leaker has repeatedly said that Resident Evil 9 has a “strong gothic horror atmosphere” that is very “witchy.”
The insider also claims that the game will star Leon and a brand-new playable character. The unknown protagonist is apparently meant to reboot the franchise with future games. With that said, here is every Resident Evil 9 leak so far via Dusk Golem.
Original ‘Resident Evil 9’ Concept Scrapped
- RE9 started development in 2017.
- The scrapped original version of RE9 was an open-world co-op game set on a fictional Singapore island. The final game I’ve heard is not set in Singapore.
- Jill Valentine was the co-op partner in this initial version of RE9. However, she plays no major role in the final game. The final game is not co-op; it’s single-player.
- Leon is still the main character of RE9. This is viewed as “the conclusion of his trilogy,” carrying over character elements from RE:2 & RE:4.
Gameplay
- RE9 will be third-person.
- Resident Evil 9 will not play “just like” other Resident Evil games or remakes. It is a reinvention of the series, once again looking back at the series’ roots to evolve ideas from the original Resident Evil 1, but in different ways than RE7 did. It’s being made as a substantial evolution of the “Resident Evil formula”. It’s a really ambitious project that has re-analyzed the series’ core elements.
- RE9 is using the RE Engine tech advancements that were made for Dragon’s Dogma 2, which were also used in Monster Hunter Wilds.
- Despite starting as an open-world game, the final game I’ve heard isn’t open world. At least not any more than other Resident Evil games; there are big areas, but it’s not a sandbox.
Story
- RE9 will only have one campaign. Leon is not the only playable character, but he is the main character. It is a really ambitious game; it has the biggest budget of any RE game, has been in development the longest.
- RE9 will lean more toward the side of horror than action, despite starring Leon. From expectations set by RE4, it’ll have action present but toned down; the horror will be amped up.
- The setting has a really strong gothic horror atmosphere, very “witchy.”
- Before RE8 came out, Capcom considered dropping numbers for future Resident Evil game titles. Part of the reason they want to drop numbers is to move forward to more unique stories in the Resident Evil Universe rather than everything needing to be tied to the series legacy.
- – RE9 is going to be a “Conclusion” game, but also a game of “New Beginnings.” We’ll see major status quo changes within the universe. RE9 is being treated as the “End” of the story that started with RE1.
- RE9 was delayed twice in development. It’s being revealed this year, releasing in 2026.
Interestingly, the game might not even be called Resident Evil 9? Yeah, supposedly, Capcom has been wanting to drop numbers from the series for a while now. Of course, take all of this with a major grain of salt. The only thing that sounds true at this point is the Resident Evil 9 reveal. The game seems likely to be shown off at Summer Game Fest this week.
The post ‘Resident Evil 9’ Will Be Revealed at Summer Game Fest According To Leak – It’s a Gothic Horror Game Featuring Leon appeared first on VICE.
