Capcom has indicated that the ongoing storyline of the Resident Evil series will reach a definite conclusion within the next 10 years, though the exact meaning of this statement remains unclear.
Resident Evil is the biggest horror franchise in gaming, consistently praised for its gameplay and scares, but its overarching narrative has become notoriously difficult to follow. Recurring characters like Leon S. Kennedy and Jill Valentine feature across a timeline that began with the T-virus outbreak at the Spencer Mansion in the 1996 original, yet making logical sense of the plot has become as exhausting as the Zelda chronology.
Capcom's 10-year plan and the current arc
Capcom never originally planned an overarching story, but comments from executive producer Jun Takeuchi suggest a conclusion is now in mind for the current narrative. In an interview with Yahoo Japan, Takeuchi said that while planning the 2019 Resident Evil 2 remake, the team created a 10-year plan covering the remakes and mainline titles, which concluded with this year's Resident Evil Requiem.
'The series' story wasn't planned out from the beginning; it expanded with each new game,' Takeuchi said (via IGN). 'When we were planning RE:2 [Resident Evil 2 remake] and creating a 10-year branding concept, this was the most challenging aspect. If you play through all of them, I think you'll realise the meaning behind the order of the remakes.'
'With the release of Requiem this year, I feel like the first 10 years have come to a close, so I think the conclusion will come in the next 10 years.'
What the conclusion could mean
The quote has caused confusion online, particularly regarding what Takeuchi means by 'conclusion.' Given the series' current success, it seems unlikely Capcom is planning to end Resident Evil entirely. Instead, the conclusion probably refers to the current narrative arc connecting the remakes and mainline titles.
Resident Evil Veronica is slated for next year, and a remake of Resident Evil Zero is rumoured to be in development. Beyond those, the remaining candidates for remakes are Resident Evil 5, Resident Evil 6, and the original, before the studio runs out of projects to tackle. Alternatively, Resident Evil Requiem features numerous callbacks to Resident Evil 2 and Leon's journey since, which might signal the end of this particular arc.
The remake of Veronica, which takes place three months after Resident Evil 2, could shift focus to Claire Redfield, potentially leading to a conclusion to her story in future games. However, the idea that Requiem's ending was part of a grand plan seems at odds with evidence suggesting the final act was changed at the last minute, as seen in conflicting reasons for why the villains kidnap Grace at the beginning and end of the story.
Future mainline entries and sales
Over the past 10 years, there have been three mainline entries: 2017's Resident Evil 7, 2021's Resident Evil Village, and this year's Resident Evil Requiem. This suggests three more could arrive over the next decade, unless Capcom expands Requiem's already confirmed story DLC.
Takeuchi was also asked how many Resident Evil games to expect before the conclusion, replying: 'I can't say, because it would spoil the fun for everyone, but there won't be just one. There will be multiple titles.'
Capcom recently announced that Resident Evil Requiem has sold 8.51 million copies since its February launch. The highest-selling game in the series remains 2019's Resident Evil 2 remake, with 19.7 million copies sold.
