Resident Evil 9 was once planned as a huge open-world multiplayer game starring Leon and Jill before Capcom hit reset in 2021, according to new insider info.
Resident Evil 9 hasn’t even been officially revealed yet, but it’s already become one of the most talked-about games in the franchise’s history. With Capcom staying quiet, fans are left picking apart every leak and rumor that shows up online. There’s been everything from supposed storylines to fake playtest details, and even speculation about which classic characters could be making a return.
All the chatter has only fueled the excitement, especially as people look for clues about where the series could go next after Resident Evil Village. We’ve seen reports about possible new settings, returning favorites like Jill and Leon, and a supposed “big reinvention” that could change up everything fans expect.
Now, new info from a well-known Resident Evil insider has shed some light on what’s actually been going on behind the scenes, and it turns out RE9 could’ve been a totally different game than what’s now in the works.
Resident Evil 9’s Original Direction and the 2021 Reboot
Known Resident Evil leaker Dusk Golem shared some new details about the long-awaited sequel in a post on X (Twitter). According to them, development for Resident Evil 9 actually started way back in early 2017, right after Resident Evil 7 launched. Capcom’s expectations for RE7’s sales weren’t met at first, so it decided to go in a new direction for the next main game.
Originally, Resident Evil 9 was planned to be a massive open-world multiplayer game. The early concept had Leon and Jill as the main characters, taking on a story set on a fictional island inspired by Singapore.
This was a big departure from the usual Resident Evil formula and was meant to be “the opposite of RE7.” The project kept moving for a few years, but things changed in a big way once Resident Evil Village came out.
Dusk Golem says that Capcom decided to hit reset in 2021, giving Resident Evil 9 a “heavy reboot.” While Leon is still a major character in the new version, a lot of the original ideas, like multiplayer and Jill’s big role, have been dropped or changed completely.
Here’s the full statement Dusk Golem posted:
“So RE9 originally started development in 2017 (Andi says 2016/2017, but it was in early 2017 after RE7 underperformed at launch to Capcom’s expectations. RE7 went on to have a huge tail in sales, but this was a bit reactionary. And the original version of RE9 was trying to be the opposite of RE7, IE big open world multiplayer game. RE9 originally starred Leon & Jill on a fictional island based off Singapore.
“However, again, this is the old RE9; the project got a pretty heavy reboot in 2021 around the time Village came out, though a few things stayed the same, like Leon is still the main character.”
Dusk Golem also claimed that another project, a Rebecca Chambers-focused Revelations 3, was canceled in 2022.
As always, it’s important to note that none of this has been officially confirmed by Capcom, and plans can always change behind the scenes. So, we suggest taking everything with a grain of salt.
What do you think of Resident Evil 9’s original plans? Would you have wanted a big multiplayer game, or are you happier with a more traditional game? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
