2021 marks the 25th anniversary of Capcom's Resident Evil, which innovated the survival-horror genre and has stood the test of time as one of the most successful video game franchises ever. Capcom has yet to announce exactly what it has planned for Resident Evil for its 25th anniversary, but all will be revealed at the upcoming Resident Evil franchise showcase scheduled to take place on Thursday, January 21 at 2pm PT.
All fans know for sure about the Resident Evil 25th anniversary showcase is that it will feature a new look at Resident Evil 8, also known as Resident Evil Village, the next entry in the long-running franchise. However, it's possible that Capcom will use the showcase to highlight more about the Resident Evil franchise than just Resident Evil 8, and a few distinct possibilities of what it may show come to mind.
Come January 21, it will be interesting to see how many of these Resident Evil showcase predictions come true.
Resident Evil 8 Release Date, Demo, and More
The big focus of the Resident Evil showcase will undoubtedly be Resident Evil 8, with it being the only game that's actually confirmed for the event so far. Considering this, fans should be able to expect a deep dive into Resident Evil 8's gameplay, as well as a new look at the story and its characters. More specifically, Capcom may use the showcase to properly introduce franchise fans to some of Resident Evil 8's antagonists, like the tall witch woman seen in some of the most recent promotional material.
Besides showing off more Resident Evil 8 gameplay footage, it seems likely that Capcom will also announce the highly anticipated game's release date as well. As it stands, Resident Evil 8 is rumored to be launching in the first half of the year, with some of the latest leaks pointing to an April release date specifically. This would put the Resident Evil 8 release date about one year after the launch of the Resident Evil 3 remake, so it makes sense. Of course, there are all kinds of factors that may see Capcom change the Resident Evil 8 release date around, so fans should keep that in mind.
One potential reason why the Resident Evil 8 release date could end up being later than expected is the possibility that Capcom decides to make last-gen versions of the game as well. While not officially confirmed, Capcom has said in the past that it is looking into the possibility of releasing last-gen versions of Resident Evil 8 alongside the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions. Work on these versions could theoretically see Capcom push back its release date plans, though that's just speculation at this time. Hopefully more information comes to light at the showcase event.
If Capcom does announce the Resident Evil 8 release date, it seems likely that it will also announce its plans for a Resident Evil 8 playable demo. Capcom has a long history of releasing demos for its games prior to launch, and rumors have already been pointing in that direction for RE8 as well. If the rumors are to be believed, the Resident Evil 8 demo will be a timed exclusive for PlayStation, and with Sony heavily promoting the Resident Evil showcase itself, that's not hard to believe at all.
While it can't be said with certainty exactly what Capcom will be showing of Resident Evil 8 at the showcase, it's quite possible that a release date, demo information, and a new look at the gameplay are in store for fans.
Resident Evil Multiplayer Game
Resident Evil 8 will be the main focus of the Resident Evil showcase on January 21, but that doesn't mean that Capcom can't announce other games as well. One distinct possibility is that Capcom pulls the curtain back on the previously leaked Resident Evil multiplayer game that is supposedly in development for a late 2021 release. Details on what exactly this Resident Evil multiplayer game is are hard to come by, but members of the Resident Evil Ambassador program have tested it recently, making it even more likely that it will be revealed at the showcase.
If Capcom doesn't announce a new Resident Evil multiplayer game during the showcase, though, perhaps it will reveal new content for the existing one. While it hasn't really caught on like Capcom may have hoped, the Resident Evil 3 remake launched with a multiplayer-only experience called Resident Evil: Resistance. Resident Evil: Resistance is an asymmetric multiplayer horror game that hasn't exactly been all that well-received by franchise fans, but maybe Capcom has a big update planned that can renew interest in the game.
Resident Evil Movie Reboot and Other Media
The Resident Evil showcase on January 21 will most likely focus exclusively on video games, but maybe it will also give fans their first looks at other Resident Evil projects in development. The most exciting possibility would be a trailer drop for the Resident Evil movie reboot that's premiering in theaters later this year, though with it having only finished filming just recently, that seems like a longshot.
Some other Resident Evil projects that could potentially be highlighted during the showcase are the upcoming Netflix projects. Netflix has a live-action Resident Evil TV series in development that will follow the exploits of Albert Wesker's children, and it also has an animated series that's set in the same universe as the video games. With the Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness Netflix series being canon to the games, it stands the best chance at being featured at the showcase, but again, Capcom may want to focus entirely on games themselves instead.
Resident Evil Re-Releases
Capcom has never been shy about its love of remasters, remakes, and re-releases. Capcom has remastered and re-released almost every Resident Evil game multiple times across multiple generations, and there's no reason for it to stop now. The bulk of the Resident Evil library is already playable on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X thanks to those consoles being backward compatible with the PS4 and Xbox One, but new versions of the games could take better advantage of the beefier hardware provided by the next-generation systems.
Some have taken the official Resident Evil Twitter account's recent tweets to mean that the company is indeed planning on re-releasing old Resident Evil games. For those who haven't been following the situation, the Resident Evil Twitter account has been counting down the days to the showcase by showing off items from old Resident Evil games and the animation that accompanied them being added to characters' inventories. Of course, it's entirely possible fans are reading a little too much into those tweets, so they should keep their expectations in check.
A Tease for the Future
If Resident Evil fans are lucky, it's possible Capcom will tease some of its projects that are coming beyond 2021. The unfortunate Capcom ransomware attack has spilled the beans on future Resident Evil projects, including the aforementioned multiplayer game, something called Biohazard Apocalypse, and another title referred to internally as Resident Evil Hank. Finer details about these games are unavailable at this time, and it would be a big surprise if Capcom featured any of them at the showcase.
Besides the mysterious Resident Evil multiplayer game, the one unannounced Resident Evil project that stands the best chance at being revealed is the rumored Resident Evil 4 remake. While it's almost certainly not going to be revealed at the showcase, the Resident Evil 4 remake is said to be aiming for release in Q4 of 2022, so it will likely be the next main series release after Resident Evil 8. This means fans have a better chance at seeing it than the games that are only known by their working titles, but even then, no one should expect to see Resident Evil 4 remake at the showcase.
Of course, Capcom could have some big surprises up its sleeve for Resident Evil fans that no one has predicted yet, so fans should be sure to tune in on January 21 at 2pm PT to see all the big Resident Evil franchise announcements.