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    Resident Evil – What Will Be Next for the Franchise?

    What's next for the long-running survival horror franchise?

    As of writing, the Resident Evil 4 remake is on its way shortly and it’s looking to be another great success for the Resident Evil franchise. However, you may be curious as to what the series has in store next. Is there any other game in the series that will get the remake treatment? What will the next main installment be like? While I can’t give clear answers to these questions, there is enough to speculate on what could be next for the series. This franchise is too big for Capcom to simply end at this point, so we’ll surely see far more from it.

    Will the Next Game Be Resident Evil 9?

    Resident Evil Village for PlayStation VR2

    It’s safe to assume that we’ll receive a new mainline entry within the next few years. However, what the next game could be about or play like is anyone’s guess. Resident Evil Village offered a fairly conclusive end to Ethan Winters’ story arc, so he will likely not be the protagonist. There is the possibility that the next game will follow up on some narrative points from Village, however, as some questions still linger. Ultimately, it’s hard to say how much of the next game will be a narrative follow-up to Village.

    Another thing to consider is that the next title may ditch the numbered title format. Village cleverly highlighted the Roman numerals “VIII” to indicate that it was the eighth title in the series. However, this isn’t the kind of thing I expect them to attempt to continue in the future. It’s still a possibility, but it might be smart to ditch the numbered titles at this point. I might be completely wrong about all of this though, and they could simply decide to call the next game Resident Evil 9.

    There is a push from some fans to see more classic characters make a return in the mainline games. However, we could just as easily see entirely new characters take the spotlight. While there are some supposed leaks and rumors as to what Resident Evil 9 could be, it’s best to take these with a grain of salt. We may not know what the game will be about or how it will play until Capcom decides to reveal it. All we know for certain is there’s very little chance that Capcom isn’t already working on a new mainline title. 

    Does Anything Else Need a Remake?

    Code Veronica Resident Evil

    After the Resident Evil 4 remake, it may seem a bit excessive to continue making remakes. Even at this point, some people may believe that a Resident Evil 4 remake is completely unnecessary because of how well the original holds up. However, there are still a few options for Capcom if they wish to continue remaking Resident Evil games. There’s even one title that several fans are requesting the remake treatment for.

    Resident Evil: Code Veronica is a perfect candidate for a remake. While it makes sense that Capcom would skip over it in favor of an RE4 remake, there are still some great reasons to go back to Code Veronica. It’s a title with a fair share of flaws that a well-made remake could address. Despite this, it has gained a cult following over the years for good reason and could deserve a second chance at life. With a good marketing campaign, I believe this could still sell well for Capcom. 

    More controversially, Capcom could opt to remake Resident Evil 5. While this game is often criticized by fans for shifting the series far too much away from the horror genre, it was still a big commercial success for Capcom. While some fans may not enjoy this title and many may not think it needs a remake, there is still some potential here. A remake could help bring the game more in line with the brand’s current identity and separate itself from the original. 

    Other Resident Evil Projects

    Welcome to Raccoon City Image

    Recent attempts at RE media outside of the games have been pretty big failures, to put it bluntly. The movie Welcome to Raccoon City was one of the most faithful attempts at adapting the games to live action, although it was very clearly made on a low budget, tried to adapt too much for its runtime, and took numerous questionable creative liberties.  There’s also the Netflix series, but the less said about that, the better. All you need to know is that it was canceled after only one season. 

    While there is a chance that a studio will want to try its hand at making a live-action Resident Evil movie or show in the future, I wouldn’t expect it any time soon. I could be wrong, but these recent efforts to adapt the series might scare some filmmaking companies away from the IP. It would be cool to see a live-action Resident Evil movie that captures the spirit of the series well, but I’m not getting my hopes up for one any time soon. What about animated movies though?

    Well, if that’s what you’re looking for, you are in luck. Resident Evil: Death Island is an upcoming animated movie that takes place between RE6 and RE7. It will follow Leon S. Kennedy and Chris Redfield as they investigate the cause of a zombie outbreak on Alcatraz Island. Jill Valentine will also appear and has apparently stopped aging. Death Island will release sometime this summer, but no specific release date has been mentioned. 

    What the Future Holds

    Promotional art for the Resident Evil 4 remake from Capcom featuring Leon and Ashley cornered by Los Ganados and Dr. Salvador

    Overall, things are still looking bright for the Resident Evil games. The biggest question is, how will Capcom deal with the series after there are no more games to remake? Perhaps we will see more spin-off titles similar to the Revelations games. Maybe we will see more ambitious mainline titles that will take longer to complete. While more recent titles in the series feature more action than games such as RE7 or the RE2 remake, it seems that Capcom wants to retain some sense of horror. 

    It’s honestly a bit hard to guess what future games in the series will be like. However, I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next and hope that the series continues to do well in the future. The Resident Evil 4 remake is looking like a great time and you can play the demo for it right now. Stay tuned, as you can expect much more Resident Evil content from us in the future!

    Itch
    Itch
    Itch has a strong passion for PC gaming and retro consoles (especially the Dreamcast). From Melty Blood: Actress Again to Forza Horizon, he will play just about anything that catches his eye. Ever since playing Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit as a young child, he has been in love with the medium of video games and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.

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