Following the official announcement of Resident Evil: Code Veronica Remake, fresh rumors suggest Capcom has already begun development on a full remake of the original Resident Evil. The potential project has sparked intense debate within the community about the growing trend of remakes across the entire gaming industry.
Just days after Capcom officially unveiled the Resident Evil: Code Veronica Remake, new reports have emerged suggesting that the publisher has already started work on remaking the very first Resident Evil game. If true, this would mark the third time the 1996 survival horror classic receives a major re-release, following the 2002 GameCube remake and multiple HD ports.
Capcom is far from alone in this strategy. The remake movement has swept across the entire AAA gaming landscape. Tomb Raider, Halo, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag have all either received or been rumored for full remake treatments in recent months. This wave of revisiting classic titles raises an important question: is this a sign of industry maturity or creative stagnation?
Proponents argue that remakes represent a natural and healthy evolution of game development. With AAA development costs now routinely exceeding $100-300 million, remakes offer a lower-risk path to commercial success. The financial data supports this view — Resident Evil 2 Remake sold 16.8 million copies, Resident Evil 4 Remake moved 12.2 million, and Final Fantasy VII Remake surpassed 7 million units. These are numbers that few new IPs can match in today's crowded market.
However, critics contend that the remake trend reflects a growing aversion to risk-taking within the industry. When every major publisher is mining its back catalog instead of funding new ideas, creativity suffers. The Resident Evil 3 Remake serves as a cautionary tale — it was criticized for cutting content from the original and received a more lukewarm reception than its predecessors.
For players of RE:9 Requiem, Capcom's continued investment in remakes is actually good news. The company has consistently used revenue from remakes to fund new mainline entries and original IPs. The success of the RE Engine remakes directly contributed to the development of RE:7, RE:8 Village, and RE:9 Requiem. Meanwhile, Capcom has also launched new IPs like Pragmata and Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, alongside the upcoming Onimusha: Way of the Sword.
The RE:9 Requiem community continues to thrive as well. The recent June update introduced the Mercenaries: Requiem mode, new character skins, and balance adjustments that have kept the player base engaged. With over 10 million copies sold since its launch, RE:9 Requiem remains one of Capcom's strongest performers.
Whether the RE1 remake rumor proves true or not, one thing is clear: Capcom has mastered the art of balancing preservation with innovation. The remakes keep classic experiences alive for new generations, while the revenue they generate fuels the development of groundbreaking new titles like RE:9 Requiem.