Resident Evil Requiem Began as Online Game, Producer Says
Capcom's Masachika Kawata said the project was reworked into a horror-focused single-player game, with Grace added alongside Leon.
Resident Evil Requiem was originally planned as an online game before Capcom scrapped that direction and reworked it into a horror-focused single-player title, producer Masachika Kawata has said.
Kawata said director Koshi Nakanishi initially developed the project as an online title. Unfavorable research results led the team to abandon the online approach and return the game to horror, according to IGN.
Leon was the first character confirmed as a protagonist, Kawata said, but his combat skills would have made the game less frightening. Grace was introduced as a new character to address that.
Capcom also delayed revealing Leon's involvement in order to maintain interest until release.
Earlier online push at Capcom
The online experiment is not the first for the series. In 2022, franchise producer Jun Takeuchi said Capcom management pushed for Resident Evil 7 to include online multiplayer, downloadable content and microtransactions during its conceptual phase.
Quick answers
Was Resident Evil Requiem originally an online game?
Yes. Producer Masachika Kawata said the project was initially developed as an online title under director Koshi Nakanishi before unfavorable research results led Capcom to abandon that direction.
Why is Grace a protagonist in Resident Evil Requiem?
Kawata said Leon was the first protagonist confirmed, but his combat skills would make the game less scary, so Grace was added as a new character.