Even After Its ‘Reset,’ Resident Evil 9 Could Offer the Best of Both Worlds

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Summary

  • Leaks indicate Resident Evil 9 will be a “major reinvention” and that it underwent a “reset” in 2021 during development.
  • Resident Evil 9 was supposedly going to be open-world, but this may have changed due to the shift in direction.
  • Capcom could still blend open-world and linear level design in Resident Evil 9, similar to how Village and RE4 did so, in order to balance its characters, horror, and action.

Fans are eagerly and steadily keeping their fingers crossed, hoping that Capcom will soon disclose definite information about the specifics of the upcoming mainline “Resident Evil” game. They are also looking forward to knowing when it might be announced officially, along with a projected launch date. Since the release of RE7 in 2017, the survival horror series has seen a series of successful releases and acclaimed remakes, which has only heightened the excitement and anticipation for “Resident Evil 9”.

Without official updates, players have had to heavily depend on rumors for quite some time now. A trusted source like Dusk Golem (or Aesthetic Gamer), known for leaking information about the Resident Evil series, has previously hinted that Resident E9 will undergo a significant transformation in the IP, similar to the significant shifts seen in RE4 and later RE7. Recent speculations suggest that the development of the next installment may have experienced a “restart,” making some previous rumors irrelevant while sparking new queries and intriguing possibilities, especially regarding its rumored open-world design.

According to a trusted source, it’s being whispered that Resident Evil 9 might be unveiled during the upcoming Summer Game Fest event.

Despite Its ‘Reset,’ Resident Evil 9 Can Still Split the Difference Between Open-World and Linear Design

Resident Evil 9 Has Seemingly Been Dogged by a Tumultuous Development So Far

The key insight from the recently leaked data is that Resident Evil 9 underwent a significant overhaul in 2021, which coincided with the release of Village. This has fueled speculation that, like Village, it might adopt an open-world format – a first for the series. Fans have expressed some apprehension about this potential shift towards a fully open-world game. Initially, there was also talk that Resident Evil 9 would feature two main characters, Leon S. Kennedy and Jill Valentine, working together in a cooperative manner similar to RE5, set on an island haunted by a sinister cult.

Although Capcom never officially verified these theories, they offer an interesting perspective on the potential concepts that the team might have considered for their future game, at least at one stage. However, with certain rumors, such as those about an open-world setting and a deuteragonist, seemingly debunked, and Resident Evil 9 apparently undergoing changes, there’s still a possibility that the developer may incorporate these elements to some extent, especially if prior work has already been done on them.

How Resident Evil 9 Could Cover Both Linear and Open-World-Like Sections

It appears that any rumors about a completely open-world setting for RE9 may no longer hold water. Instead, the game could draw inspiration from the design philosophy of Resident Evil Village, blending open-structured areas with traditionally linear ones. This method has proven successful, and Capcom might build upon this foundation in RE9 by emulating Village. It could do so by incorporating expansive play spaces for certain areas, similar to what was seen in RE4, as well as confining players to isolated locations like Salazar’s castle or House Beneviento. This approach might also aid in maintaining a balance between horror and action, much like the previous titles did.

In addition, it’s speculated that Leon may be the sole lead character in RE9. However, considering the rumored changes, there’s a chance we might also see an overhauled version of a new NPC like Ashley. If RE9 does focus on a single protagonist, it could still incorporate a sidekick and/or shorter playable segments with distinct designs, providing a blend of open-ended gameplay within a more conventional linear structure. Fingers crossed that Capcom shares their plans for Resident Evil 9 sooner, rather than later.

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2025-06-04 14:04