Rumoured Resident Evil 1 remake is more important than you realise
Given the success of its recent Resident Evil remakes, we're surprised it's taken Capcom this long to realise we're probably overdue for a remake of the 1996 original...again. Of course, we've seen the Spencer Mansion get a fresh lick of paint with 2002's REmake and 2015's HD Remaster, but for many, we're hungry for more.
Zombie games and the zombie genre, in general, would be a very different landscape if not for Capcom's original game. It has since spun out into eight numbered entries, multiple spin-offs, a live-action franchise of movies, a live-action reboot movie, animated outings, and one poorly received Netflix series.
Resident Evil remake is reportedly on the way
Click to enlargeTracing it all the way back to 1996's Resident Evil, the fact it's already been remade and tweaked within an inch of its life means we're surprised to hear of a potential remake. However, trusted leaker DanielRPK claims another remake of the first game is on the way.
Capcom has previously teased that a "special announcement" is on the way, and with reports that the developer is working on multiple Resident Evil games at once, things are coming together nicely. Let's also remember the OG turns 30 in 2026, making this a seemingly ideal window to release a new-gen remake.
The news comes alongside X account PRE_Alarabiya, which separately claims a Resident Evil 1 remake will be landing in time for the milestone anniversary. That's all well and good, but where does it leave the slate of upcoming Resiverse titles? Interestingly, a RE remake could be just what Dr. Birkin ordered.
The Redfield & Wesker saga
Over on the GamingLeaksandRumours subreddit, fans were divided by the idea of having to shell out for a Resident Evil remake. 2019's Resident Evil 2 remake reignited our modern love for the series, with 2020's RE3 and 2023's RE4 remake completely overhauling their classic counterparts, selling bucket loads, and earning (largely) rave reviews.
We're not sure what else Capcom can really do with remaking Resident Evil again, although there are some interesting ideas about where things are heading. When someone lamented that the developer would seemingly do anything to avoid giving us a Code: Veronica remake, another suggested RE1 could lead into it.
They wrote, "Makes more sense to do a Chris vs Wesker Trilogy then just jumping straight to RE5 Remake. RE1, Code Veronica then RE5," which sounds like a dream come true. The ending of the RE4 remake seems destined to lead into an RE5 remake, but if you want a refresher on Wesker, a trilogy of his games would be perfect.
As with all things Resi, Capcom is keeping things locked up tightly in the lab. If Resident Evil 9 is hitting that rumoured 2025 launch date, we could the series punctuate its numbered outings with remakes. These are obviously just the pipe dreams of ravenous fans, but out there among all the rumours, we hope there's a nugget of truth.
