Resident Evil: Requiem Returns to Survival Horror Roots After Scrapped Co-Op Plans
Resident Evil 9 now titled Requiem, was once a multiplayer shooter, but Capcom scrapped it for classic survival horror. Here’s how the game is going back to its terrifying roots.
The Resident Evil series has seen it all zombies, bio-weapons, mutated dogs, and yes, even a stint as a full-blown action blockbuster. But it looks like Capcom has decided to steer the franchise back to what made it legendary in the first place: survival horror. And while Resident Evil: Requiem is shaping up to deliver just that, the road there was, well... kind of wild.
Let’s dive into the strange-but-true journey of RE9, how it almost became something totally different, and what fans can look forward to instead.
When Resident Evil Almost Went Full Multiplayer Mayhem
Believe it or not, there was a version of Resident Evil 9 (yes, the one that’s now titled Requiem) that was originally planned as a co-op open-world shooter. That’s right, imagine traversing wide zones with your squad, completing objectives, and using class-based abilities. It’s not a terrible idea on paper, especially for fans of RE5 or RE6, which leaned heavily into co-op territory. But Capcom wasn’t just toying with the idea they actually prototyped it.
According to Game Director Koshi Nakanishi, they experimented with both an online and open-world version of the game. Speaking in a video on the Resident Evil Portal, he candidly admitted:
“You might have heard some of the rumors... which we spent some time experimenting with. But in the end, although we had some interesting concepts, we realized that it wasn’t what fans wanted to see or play.”
And with that realization, the dev team scrapped the online elements and pivoted hard back to survival horror. Thus, Resident Evil: Requiem was born.
What That Early Build Looked Like
Only a few pre-alpha gameplay snippets have surfaced from the co-op version, but they’re telling. The short clips reveal two characters navigating what looks like tight, maze-like levels. One of them had healing abilities mapped to R1/L1, while the other had a shield and a sledgehammer, suggesting a support/offense class dynamic.
This setup implies a strategic, team-based approach to combat similar in spirit to RE5, but with more role specialization, almost like an RPG-lite system baked into the mechanics.
While the footage was brief and raw, it looked like it had potential. Still, fans have long been vocal about what they want from a mainline Resident Evil title, and that’s creeping dread, resource management, and hair-raising horror—not online matchmaking and bullet-sponge boss fights.
Capcom’s History with Resident Evil Multiplayer: A Mixed Bag
To be fair, Resident Evil’s forays into multiplayer haven’t exactly set the world on fire. Games like RE: Resistance, Umbrella Corps, and Operation Raccoon City all tried to blend PvP or co-op gameplay into the Resi formula with mixed results.
Even though RE5 and RE6 did have a decent co-op fanbase, critics and core fans often felt those entries traded atmosphere and tension for fast-paced action and over-the-top set pieces.
That’s likely why Capcom pulled the plug on making Requiem another spin on the action-heavy format. They’ve learned the hard way that while players might tolerate co-op in Resident Evil, they don’t exactly crave it in a mainline title.
The Comeback: Requiem Focuses on Classic Survival Horror
With the action-centric experiment behind them, Capcom went back to the drawing board and what emerged was Resident Evil: Requiem, a title that promises a return to form.
Details on Requiem remain scarce, but here’s what we do know:
- It’s sticking to single-player survival horror gameplay.
- The atmosphere leans back into the creepy, claustrophobic environments that made RE7 and RE Village so immersive.
- There’s an emphasis on storytelling, isolation, and vulnerability—hallmarks of the series’ best entries.
And after the success of RE7 and the modern remakes of RE2 and RE4, it seems Capcom has finally found the sweet spot: modern visuals and controls, combined with classic horror DNA.
What Fans Can Expect Going Forward
If the shift back to horror in Requiem is any indicator, Capcom is doubling down on what works. Players can probably expect:
- Tighter level design focused on exploration and puzzles
- A more emotionally-driven protagonist (a trend they’ve leaned into with Ethan Winters)
- And maybe even some new, terrifying enemy types that harken back to the psychological horror roots of the franchise
There’s also speculation that Requiem could connect narrative threads from earlier games, especially with the direction taken in Village’s post-credits scene. Capcom’s been careful about tying things together more cohesively, and Requiem could be another big step in that direction.
So yes, Resident Evil 9 could’ve been a squad-based, wingsuit-wearing, sledgehammer-smashing co-op shooter. But thankfully, Capcom listened to fans and brought the franchise back to where it belongs: terrifying, lonely, survival horror at its finest.
Resident Evil: Requiem is shaping up to be a love letter to everything fans have ever loved about the series while hopefully building new nightmares for a whole new generation.
