Resident Evil 9 Requiem preview

A director explains that the ninth title aims for a rhythm of tension and release that pushes the series to new extremes while revisiting familiar ground.

Resident Evil 9 Requiem Sets Extreme Pace By Returning To Classic Lore

Resident Evil 9: Requiem faces a delicate balancing act. Director Kōshi Nakanishi says the game is the most extreme title yet in terms of pacing, not gore. He describes a curve of tension and release that escalates as Grace, the new protagonist, moves from fear toward moments of relief. The result, he argues, is a rollercoaster that fans can ride from start to finish.

The team is also revisiting the Racoon City setting, with Grace waking in a hospital connected to the old location. Capcom has been open about experimenting with ideas that didn’t make the final cut, showing that Requiem is the product of real design risk. The game will offer both third-person and first-person perspectives, and players may eventually learn how to counter the stalker enemy that haunts Grace. This is a deliberate move to extend the series’ signature ebb and flow beyond a single playthrough or genre shift.

Even as Capcom leans into nostalgia, it stresses that Requiem should feel fresh. The franchise marks its 30th anniversary with the release window slide into February next year, a timing the developers say was partly accidental but fitting. The new story threads, including Grace’s lineage linked to older lore, are paired with a renewed sense of experimentation that mirrors past pivots after RE7 and Village.

The interview reveals a studio trying to honor its DNA while inviting new players into a familiar world. By leaning into a broader tension-release arc, Capcom signals a move away from linear scares toward an experience that rewards anticipation and strategic counterplay. Yet the insistence on balance raises questions about risk: will veterans embrace a formula that replays old locations, and will newcomers feel the weight of decades of lore? The decision to broadcast abandoned prototypes publicly also frames Capcom as a transparent creator, but it could invite scrutiny over budget and direction if the final product diverges too far from fan expectations. Requiem seems designed to appease both crowds—old-school fans who crave recognizable landmarks and new players drawn to sharper pacing and flexible play styles.

Highlights

Capcom appears determined to prove that memory can still drive innovation in a turn that honors the past while inviting new players into the next chapter.