The Resident Evil Remakes: Unleashing a Terrifying New Era

Capcom has been producing highly praised remakes of Resident Evil games for the past few years. These remakes have successfully brought the iconic horror series to modern hardware with fresh elements, receiving a positive response from fans. They have served as a nostalgic journey for long-time fans, offered newcomers an opportunity to experience the original games, and showcased the reasons behind the franchise's success. While this has been a commendable endeavor, there will eventually be a time when this wave of nostalgia comes to an end.

Since 2019, the focus of the Resident Evil franchise has predominantly been on these remakes, effectively addressing past mistakes. However, in the near future, these remakes will need to include some of the series' more controversial entries. After that, Capcom will be required to explore new directions. Although Resident Evil Village has demonstrated its ability to create fresh experiences, it may never quite surpass the impact of this wave of remakes.

Resident Evil Will Have to Do Something New Soon

Following the departure from its original formula in Resident Evil 5 and 6, fans were eager for the franchise to return to its roots. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard provided players with that desired experience in 2017, and the studio fully embraced this new direction in 2019. The release of the remake of Resident Evil 2 that year was followed by Resident Evil 3's remake a year later, and the remake of Resident Evil 4 was released in 2023.

These remakes of the Resident Evil series have delighted players and served as a reminder of why they initially fell in love with the games. The studio is likely to continue on this path, as they have not confirmed anything yet but are probably developing more exciting remakes. For instance, Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6, the next main entries in line, may receive the remake treatment. While it may take some time, the success of the previous three remakes provides the studio with a compelling reason to continue down this path.

Once the remake continuity aligns with Resident Evil 7, Capcom will face a shortage of mainline Resident Evil games. Unless they opt to redo the original game once again or explore spin-offs, Capcom will need to introduce something fresh. While they have the capability to do so, there is a possibility that it may not generate the same level of nostalgia appeal. Alternatively, it is also plausible that fans may find something new more enjoyable than these classic games, though this remains uncertain.

Although Resident Evil Village achieved great success for Capcom, it received slightly weaker reviews compared to some of the remakes. Fans seem to have a deep affection for the remakes that the studio has produced, and they are likely to be reluctant to bid farewell to the fun. The studio could consider remaking non-mainline titles, but even that approach will have a predetermined conclusion. These nostalgia trips cannot endure indefinitely, and there will come a point when the studio can no longer depend on them.

There is an abundance of Resident Evil material in development, ensuring fans will continue to be frightened for many years to come. Aside from potential DLC packs and updates, there are also whispers of numerous Resident Evil spin-offs at various production stages. Although the remakes may eventually conclude, the series shows no signs of ending anytime soon, albeit with a somewhat uncertain future.