Summary
Resident Evilfans have been sleuthing and speculating across the internet over the past month after a retail leak hinted toward the future release of several newResident Eviltitles, includingResident Evil 9 andremakes ofResident Evil 5, Zero,andCode: Veronica.The leak has been met with positivity and excitement, though it speaks to a stagnation in Capcom’s strategy for the series. WhileResident Evil 9looks promising, especially given the success ofVillage,the details and priorities regarding remakes are unclear.
Recently leaked details regarding a newly titledResident Evil 5,including language reflecting large changes forResident Evil 5. However, the listing forCode: Veronicabore no such specificity and was rather ambiguous. Given these facts,Capcom may plan to put forth aResident Evil 5remakeahead of a new project centered onCode: Veronica.
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Code Veronica Deserves A Remake
Capcom Would Benefit From Updating The Title
The leak came via a listing fromPlayAsiaand stated thatResident Evil 5would have “new technology developed specifically for the game,” with no such language forCode: Veronica.Code: Veronicahas been divisive since its release in 2000, with critics citing the mechanics, narrative, and boss battles as key failures. Still, the game has many fans, and a full remake would most likely see a financial return. Despite this, evidence points to thisResident Evil 5project being a larger priority. This may be a mistake as a fully remadeCode: Veronicawould be a better choice due to series significance, timing, and industry advancements.
For veterans of theResident Evilseries,Code: Veronicarepresents a clear shift in the series' tone and focus. The previous three titles all revolved around the Racoon City saga, whereasCode: Veronicastarts the globe-hopping adventures fans have enjoyed over the past two decades. Also, the game isa narrative link betweenResident Evil 2andResident Evil 5.Without the context provided byCode: Veronica,superhuman Wesker, the BSAA, and the world-ending stakes of Uroboros are unwarranted.
Code: Veronicais the only title in the entireResident Evilseries in which Chris and Claire Redfield appear together simultaneously.
Beyond the narrative,Resident Evil: Code Veronicawould see the most improvement from an update. Released twenty-four years ago, it still used the classic fixed-camera system, and the updated graphics would be just as impressive as 2019’sResident Evil 2remake. Further, a remadeCode: Veronicawouldallow Capcom to right the original title’s wrongs.Mechanics could be modernized to provide a smoother player experience and bring new fans to the series. It’s the sort of redemption story that doesn’t come around often in modern gaming, and given Capcom’s massive success with remakes thus far, there’s little risk.
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Resident Evil 5 Is Likely To Be Released First
The Title’s Huge Profit Potential Means Capcom May Pursue It No Matter What
It is far more likely thatResident Evil 5will appear as a remake beforeCode: Veronica. It’s possible, even, thatCode: Veronicamay only see a remaster delivered to the PlayStation Store, given the lack of details currently known. The leaked listing also spoke to changes made toResident Evil 5’s gameplay and the world ofResident Evilas a whole. It’s doubtful Capcom would make such bold claims if the project weren’t its focus. However, it may not be the right time for aResident Evil 5remake.
Since the originalResident Evil 5was released fifteen years ago, in 2009, little has changed for the series in that time. Especially in terms of the remakes, all of them have included the over-the-shoulder 3rd person action shooter playstyle asResident Evil 5.Further, the original title was successful with this playstyle. WhereasResident Evil 4benefited from a remakeas it cleaned up some of the mechanics and deepened the narrative, itwould be difficult to improve onResident Evil 5at this point. Beyond the elimination of quick-time events, the gameplay still holds up.
Resident Evil 5 held the record as most profitable Capcom title for years, and has sold 3.1 million units so far in 2024, according toStatista.
Finally, there’s the graphics to consider. While it’s doubtless that a remadeResident Evil 5would see an improvement to the visuals of its 2009 predecessor, it wouldn’t be nearly as impactful as the same improvements toResident Evil: Code Veronica.Graphics are the very reason many series choose to remake previous titles, as the outdated visuals simply do not hold up to the brilliance of today’s consoles. The threshold for this unplayability hasn’t passed forResident Evil 5compared to other early titles, andCapcom would do well to bide their time for maximum impact.
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Capcom Will Likely Stop Remakes Soon
The List Of Viable Resident Evil Titles Is Growing Short
Considering these things, it would benefit theResident Evilcommunity more ifCode: Veronicawere remade beforeResident Evil 5.But further, it wouldn’t be bad ifCapcom halted their remake projectsfor the foreseeable future after this coming remake. Regardless of whether it isCode: Veronicaor not, the list of legitimate titles is growing thin. The only remaining title that could have some validity would beResident Evil 6.However,beingthat the game was a commercial and critical failure and was released only twelve years ago, it’s unlikely that Capcom will touch it.
Instead, it’s likely that the nextResident Evilremake will be the last, and the developer will look forward to the series' future. Given the critical reception ofResident Evil: Village’smore grim-dark, supernatural tone, it’s possible that Capcom will continue to pursue this style for the next few installments. Still, if aResident Evil: CodeVeronicaremake were to be announced in the coming months, it would undoubtedly be met with excitement from the community.
