Capcom Releasing Resident Evil CODE: Veronica Remake

Summer Game Fest is approaching quickly, and people are already guessing what Capcom might show off to honor Resident Evil's 30th anniversary. Resident Evil 9 is officially being made by Koshi Nakanishi, who worked on Resident Evil 7. However, there are rumors going around about three remakes, with the most talked-about being a modern take on the 2000 Dreamcast classic Resident Evil CODE: Veronica.

There has been talk about a CODE: Veronica remake for a while now, but it's slowly becoming more likely, thanks to leaks, insider claims, and actions taken by Capcom itself. Capcom shut down a well-known fan-made CODE: Veronica remake project at the end of last year, which may indicate that the studio has its own plans for an official version, despite being disappointing for fans.

A major leak posted on 4chan in late 2023 was said to have come from a Japanese playtester who claimed to have seen the first few minutes of the unannounced remake. This leaked information suggests that the game has changed from tank controls and fixed camera angles to an over-the-shoulder, third-person style, similar to the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4.

According to rumors, the prologue starts with Claire Redfield breaking into an Umbrella facility. This is a playable tutorial that builds up to her capture and transfer to Rockford Island. This is a big change from the original's movie-style intro, giving the player more control right from the start.

Once players get to the island, they can explore a prison area that is much bigger than before and meet both new and old characters. A new character named Ricardo is said to help Claire get away, and she ends up meeting Steve Burnside, a fan favorite. The leak suggests a feature that allows players to freely switch between Claire and Steve, similar to how Resident Evil Zero's dual-character system works.

Each character is said to have unique gameplay traits. For example, Claire is great at puzzles and has great knife skills, while Steve can use both pistols, move faster, be stealthier, and even throw his knife. Steve can't mix herbs, but Claire can find hidden things, which adds a strategic element to character choice. It is said that the playable part ends when the two get to the Ashford family palace.

After the 4chan leak, someone with extensive knowledge about Resident Evil lent the rumors more support. In May 2024, Dusk said that both Resident Evil CODE: Veronica and Resident Evil Zero are being worked on. Capcom Dev Team 1, which worked on the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 4, was in charge of the CODE: Veronica project. Both books were well received by critics and sold well, so this is seen as a very good sign.

Along with CODE: Veronica, Dusk said that a remake of Resident Evil Zero is likely to come out first. It is said to be co-developed by K2 and M-Two, the same studios that worked on the Separate Ways DLC for the Resident Evil 4 Remake. At first, Dusk thought that Nintendo would make an announcement at the same time as showing off the Switch 2, but that didn't happen during Nintendo's April 2nd Direct.

There are rumors that Capcom is working on a new remake of the original Resident Evil. This would be a modern take on the 2002 GameCube classic, using the RE Engine and a third-person view. Basically, Biodeclassified says the project would bring the GameCube remake up to speed with modern game mechanics, like how Capcom did with RE2 and RE3.

It's still unclear if all three remakes will be released at the same time or at different times during the franchise's anniversary year, but fans are already very excited. People have long thought of the first CODE: Veronica as the "forgotten middle child" of the series. It may finally get the attention it deserves.

It's not a new idea to want more remakes of Resident Evil games. Capcom's most recent remakes have not only been praised by critics but also sold a lot of copies. More than 13 million copies of Resident Evil 2 Remake were sold, and the same was true for Resident Evil 4 Remake. Capcom has already announced that more remakes are on the way, so it's likely that they'll continue to draw from the series' extensive back catalog.

Even though Capcom hasn't confirmed any of these projects yet, they seem likely based on leaks from inside the company, Capcom's business decisions, and the franchise's 30th anniversary approaching soon.

Fans will have to keep reading between the lines until official announcements are made, which should happen around the Summer Game Fest or the Tokyo Game Show. What if even half of these rumors are true? 2026 could be one of the most important years in Resident Evil history.