Capcom's massive June 10 content update for Resident Evil 9: Requiem has received overwhelmingly positive community feedback, with New Game+ mode and expanded Mercenaries stages delivering on fan expectations.
Four days after Capcom deployed the highly anticipated June 10 update for Resident Evil 9: Requiem, the community response is in — and it's overwhelmingly positive. The free content drop, which added New Game+ mode, four new Mercenaries stages including Leon and Jill as playable characters, and significant quality-of-life improvements, has breathed new life into what was already one of 2026's best-selling titles.
On Steam, RE:9 Requiem's concurrent player count surged by roughly 65% following the update's release, peaking at over 48,000 simultaneous players — the highest number since the game's launch week in January. The Steam user rating has also seen a noticeable uptick, moving from "Very Positive" (88%) to an even stronger "Very Positive" (91%) as thousands of returning players submitted fresh reviews praising the new content.
The New Game+ mode has been the centerpiece of the update. Unlike traditional New Game+ implementations that simply carry over equipment and increase enemy stats, Capcom's take on the feature introduces several meaningful twists. Players retain all weapons, upgrades, and collectibles from their first playthrough, but enemy placements have been reshuffled, new environmental hazards appear in familiar areas, and certain story sequences play out differently. Most notably, New Game+ includes exclusive lore documents that expand the backstory of Grace Ashcroft and the Requiem cult, giving completionists a compelling reason to dive back in.
The Mercenaries mode expansion has been equally well received. The four new stages — Abandoned Cathedral, Requiem Tower Rooftop, Silent Catacombs, and Harbor Terminal — each offer distinct layouts and enemy compositions that test different survival strategies. Leon S. Kennedy's inclusion as a playable character has been a particular highlight, with his classic roundhouse kick and knife parry mechanics faithfully recreated in the RE Engine. Jill Valentine, meanwhile, brings a more tactical playstyle focused on precision shooting and environmental traps.
Community reaction on Reddit and the Resident Evil subreddit has been effusive. A highly upvoted post titled "Capcom actually did it — they made NG+ meaningful" has accumulated over 8,000 upvotes, with commenters sharing their favorite New Game+ discoveries and debating the best Mercenaries scoring strategies. The general consensus is that the update represents a new gold standard for post-launch content support in the survival horror genre.
Looking ahead, Capcom has already confirmed that premium story DLC is in development for RE:9 Requiem, expected to launch later this holiday season. While details remain scarce, the DLC is rumored to feature a new campaign chapter that bridges the gap between RE:9's ending and a potential RE:10. Combined with the already announced Resident Evil: Code Veronica remake targeting 2027, the Resident Evil franchise's future has never looked brighter.
For players who haven't yet experienced the June 10 update, all content is free for existing RE:9 Requiem owners on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The update weighs approximately 9.8 GB and includes all previously released patches and optimizations.