Resident Evil 1 Remake Could Be Terrible News For RE9

Summary A potential remake of the original Resident Evil could impact the release of RE9, possibly pushing it to 2027 or later.

Leaks suggest a 2026 release for the RE1 remake, hinting at Capcom's plans for a 30th anniversary celebration.

The focus on a remake may delay the biannual release pattern of the RE franchise, raising questions about the future of RE9.

A remake of the original Resident Evil could spell disaster for RE9. Capcom's revival of the landmark survival horror franchise has thus far been a resounding success. It's employed a two-pronged strategy, both remaking some of the series' most iconic hits while also developing brand-new titles. And it's met with acclaim on both ends. The most recent remake, Resident Evil 4, balanced the original's campy charm with modern polish, cementing itself as one of the best horror games of 2023. And the most recent new entry, Resident Evil Village, was a brilliantly-crafted nightmare at once fresh and familiar.

But for all the remakes and remasters, there's one title the series has yet to revisit: the very first Resident Evil, first released in 1996 for the PlayStation. There are many rumors about what the next Resident Evil game could be, but the latest leaks suggest it'll be that long-awaited remake. Whether the leaks are true remains to be seen: there are many other candidates, like a Resident Evil 5 remake and of course, the coveted Resident Evil 9, that have been rumored to be coming out first. Still, further rumors of development troubles suggest the release schedule has changed.

Related Resident Evil 9 Rumors Hint At A 28-Year First For The Franchise The latest rumor indicates that Resident Evil 9 might be striking out in a new direction, and it's one with a lot of interesting potential.

Multiple Leakers Suggest An RE1 Remake Is Coming Soon

What A Resident Evil Remake Means For Resident Evil 9

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A rumor first posted on X (formerly Twitter) by user @PRE_Alarabiya, then later corroborated on the Patreon of leaker DanielRPK and shared on Reddit by user KekanKok, suggests that a Resident Evil 1 remake may currently be in development. The tweet, machine translated from the original Arabic, seems to confirm many rumors currently circulating about the RE franchise: that RE9 will be set in Southeast Asia, star an older Leon S. Kennedy, and take place in 2025. Both leaks suggest a 2026 release date for Resident Evil's remake, with no dates yet confirmed for the next original installment.

The level of detail in this tweet seems to suggest deeper knowledge of Capcom's internal projects, or at least a well-researched hoax. And honestly, 2026 makes perfect sense for a Resident Evil remake. The series and the game will celebrate their shared 30th birthday in March of that year, and, according to @PRE_Alarabiya, Capcom is planning something big for that anniversary. What better way to acknowledge such a landmark than to remake the series' first-ever game?

But that might not be the most popular decision. Resident Evil 1 has already been remade once - just in 2002, originally for the GameCube. It might not have the kind of snappy, adjustable camera angles and non-tank controls as a modern REmake, but it still looks pretty good. And it is available on all modern platforms, including Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. There are other Resident Evil games that can't be played on modern platforms at all and better deserve a remake, like Resident Evil - Code: Veronica. And worse still, a Resident Evil remake could be problematic for the upcoming release of RE9.

Related 5 Characters Who Should Return In Resident Evil 9 (& 5 Who Shouldn’t) A new Resident Evil game is the perfect time to bring back some familiar characters. However, there are also characters who shouldn’t return again.

Resident Evil 9 Could Be Delayed By The Remake

If Capcom is focusing all or most of its efforts on a Resident Evil remake right now, that could mean that Resident Evil 9's release date will be pushed back even further. Since its revival in 2017, RE has basically become a biannual franchise, with a mainline game or remake coming out once every two years. With the remake of Resident Evil 4 having been released in 2023, the next likely year for a big RE release would be 2025 - but there doesn't seem to be anything planned yet. So, if the Resident Evil remake isn't planned to come out until 2026, RE9 could be pushed as far back as 2027, if not later.

That goes along with some other leaks, which suggest Resident Evil 9 was recently delayed internally at Capcom. These leaks suggest that it was originally slated for reveal in 2024 with a 2025 release window. That tracks with the current release pattern: there were four years between RE7 and Village, and Village turns four in 2025. While it's not too late for something like that to happen, it looks increasingly unlikely every day. In an effort to keep Resident Evil relevant, Capcom may have decided to release a remake first while the next original installment finishes cooking.

But ultimately, there's no way to confirm or deny these leaks, and there's no way for outsiders to know exactly what's happening at Capcom. The next Resident Evil game could just as well be a remake of RE5, RE6, or Code: Veronica as it could be RE9 or the first game remake. Still, considering current trends and the reliability of two near-identical leaks, it's very possible a new REmake is slated for 2026, with the next original game to follow shortly after. Barring an official announcement, the future of Resident Evil remains uncertain.

Sources: @PRE_Alarabiya/X, KekanKok/Reddit