Since the release of Resident Evil 7, fans have been calmly waiting for any news related to Resident Evil 8. This is probably because Capcom has sated its audience with a steady stream of well-received Resident Evil remakes in the form of Resident Evil 2 and the upcoming Resident Evil 3. The RE Engine, introduced with Resident Evil 7, has been powering Capcom’s resurgence as it has been used to develop all three Resident Evil games recently in addition to Devil May Cry 5. Presumably, it will power Resident Evil 8 as well.
In any case, fans could be treated to a surprise announcement sometime this year that could reveal the next iteration of the Resident Evil franchise. As for when Resident Evil 8 will be released, there are a number of indicators that fans should expect the game sooner rather than later.
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Three Developers Working on Resident Evil 3
When Resident Evil 3 was announced at the end of 2019, it put an end to any wondering as to whether or not Capcom would continue remaking its classic games. The quickness of Capcom to announce this game so soon after the release of Resident Evil 2 (which was released in 2019) made one question just how the company was able to pull it off in such a short amount of time. Clearly it had been working on the game beforehand but Capcom also confirmed that there are three teams working on the remake to Resident Evil 3.
The first team working on the game is one of Capcom’s internal divisions while M-Two is another developer assisting with the project. M-Two was founded by the former CEO of Platinum Games, Tatsuya Minami, who has worked with Capcom in the past (alongside Resident Evil director Shinji Mikami, who is now at Tango Gameworks). While the two teams are collaborating on the single-player mode of Resident Evil 3, Taiwan-based developer NeoBards Entertainment is creating the multiplayer mode known as Project Resistance. With three appropriately designated developers working on the game, it makes sense why Capcom is releasing Resident Evil 3 in April.
Resident Evil 8 Release Window and Rumors
Besides the fact that Capcom has had the development of Resident Evil 3 locked down with the help of three developers, it’s been a little over three years since the release of Resident Evil 7. The hit 2017 title helped put Capcom back on the map but virtually nothing is known about its successor, Resident Evil 8, which is still only in the rumor stages. Next year would mark four years since the release of a new mainline Resident Evil game so that’s about the time when fans should start expecting more information on the game to drop. It’s likely Resident Evil 8 will release four to five years after Resident Evil 7 meaning it’ll likely come out in 2021 or 2022 at the latest.
Given Capcom’s love for the earlier half of the year (especially January), the game should come out at that time within the year it releases. The setting of the game, however, is something that is more difficult to predict. A steady line of rumors have suggested that Resident Evil 8 will have a medieval-like setting, complete with armored zombies and werewolves. These rumors seem to have a link with a Resident Evil 7 mystery.
A Quick Case Against Resident Evil 8
If there is one thing that can stop Capcom from producing the next iteration of the Resident Evil series anytime soon, it’s remakes of classic Capcom games. Capcom has had huge success with the remake of Resident Evil 2 and is seemingly going to replicate that success with the upcoming remake of Resident Evil 3. With companies like Activision embracing remakes head-on, it’s clear why this is such a goldmine for Capcom, as it has many classic games that stand to be remade, such as Resident Evil Code Veronica, Resident Evil 0, or even the original Resident Evil (again).
Resident Evil 8 is rumored to be in development.
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title: “Predicting Resident Evil 8 S Release Date” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-08” author: “Judy Barrett”
Resident Evil games traditionally lean towards first quarter release dates, though it is not always the case, and Resident Evil 8 may defy these norms. Resident Evil 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, Code Veronica, Revelations 1 and 2, Resident Evil 1, 2 and 3 Remakes all released within the first quarters of their release years, or very close to it anyway. The exception is Resident Evil 3 Remake’s release date, which fell slightly beyond the first quarter, releasing at the start of April.
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Previous Resident Evil Releases
The other Resident Evil games which did not release in the first quarter of the year all comprised fall releases in the late-year, which includes the original Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Resident Evil 0, and Resident Evil 6. The key takeaway here is that nearly all of Resident Evil’s main games release early in the year, with a few rare exceptions which comprise fall release dates.
Given that the first quarter of 2021 is not far off, at just 6 months away approximately, it would make sense for Capcom to also reveal the release date at this stage if Resident Evil 8 was going to fall within a first quarter period. While it is still statistically possible for a first quarter release, based on the release dates of previous games, the current conditions certainly make it seem that Resident Evil 8 is still a longer ways off, especially with COVID disrupting all major industries around the world, including gaming.
Also, in viewing the last few iterations of Resident Evil games, specifically Resident Evil 4 through 7, it is important to note that nearly all of the reveal trailers were shown mid-year. More importantly, the trailers included release dates in them for a first-quarter release date, or winter release. The only exception was Resident Evil 5, which did not include a release date in its revelation trailer.
Resident Evil 8 fits some of the common pattern, having been revealed at the mid-year point, just recently. But it only vaguely states 2021 as its release window, without a date or even a season. If Capcom seemed confident about a first-quarter release in 2021, based on the timeline and content of previous trailer revelations of Resident Evil games, it would have seemed reasonable to expect Resident Evil 8’s trailer to include a more specific release window. On the other hand, it’s also typically held from a game’s initial showing with some exceptions.
Resident Evil 7’s original announcement trailer came out around the same time of year that Resident Evil 8 was revealed during this year. But Resident Evil 7’s trailer specified a release date of January 24, 2017, about half a year out. If Resident Evil 8 was slated for a first quarter release date, it seems that the timing of its reveal trailer would have been fitting to state it as so.
This could be a strong speculation that Resident Evil 8 will break common tradition and release late in 2021, rather than the first quarter. It is important to note that none of the main Resident Evil games, such as those listed above, have released in the mid-year, or summertime, so this timeframe seems unlikely.
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Chris Redfield’s controversial role in the Resident Evil 8’s trailer also seemingly created more questions than answers around his aggressive behavior, and whether he will potentially become a villain. In the trailer, it is believed that Chris Redfield is shown murdering Mia, the wife of Ethan. It seems likely that gameplay-wise, Capcom still has a ways to go in finishing the development of the game, but has cemented much buzz and attention over the controversy of its story-direction, which was the focus of the trailer. This will certainly keep fans speculating and theorizing for months to come.
Resident Evil 8 trailer
This would seem to be a good strategy on Capcom’s part to focus Resident Evil 8’s revelation trailer on controversial focal points of its storyline and Resident Evil 8’s characters to keep attention fixated and conversations fresh regarding this hot title. In addition to the controversies revolving around Chris Redfield and his affiliation with the mysterious Blue Umbrella, the trailer is also drawing much attention to its other unique stand-outs which have fostered much questions and fan-theories. This includes confirmation of the original Umbrella’s presence in the game, werewolves, what appears to be a potential witch, and a much more folklorian-horror aesthetic.
While the trailer included a lot of mysterious story-content, there was not much gameplay content. All these questions and mysteries fans are now attempting to digest from the trailer also suggest, again, that Resident Evil 8’s development and final release still have a ways to go and it is likely to deviate from the common first-quarter release dates for Resident Evil games. A late 2021 release date seems more likely given the current cues and deviations from past patterns between trailers and release dates.
Also, given the timing of the release of the next-gen consoles in late-2020, Capcom may be wanting to wait a little longer for these consoles to establish themselves and replace previous-generation consoles as more gamers make the switch. Given the current evidence that Resident Evil 8 will probably only be released on next-generation consoles, it may not be a wise decision to release such a a long established title and franchise too close to the debut of the new consoles, since many fans may not yet make the switch to next-generation consoles right away.
However, there is also an argument to be made for the possibility that Resident Evil 8 could still release in early 2021, given that the Resident Evil 3 Remake trailer-reveal was not released until last December, just four months before its final release approximately. Due to the events of COVID, it is entirely possible that Capcom may not feel entirely confident that they can meet an early-2021 deadline and may not want to commit themselves to such an obligation, even if they are hopefully aiming for that release period.
However, this does not necessarily mean they are not aiming for that release window, and if they are not set back by COVID or other circumstances, there is still plenty of time to make an announcement for an early-2021 release date. There was much speculation that Resident Evil 3 would be delayed to some capacity due to COVID, but they were able to persist and even get hard copies of the game onto shelves in time for release. These are unpredictable times, and Capcom may just be holding back on announcing a release date for Resident Evil 8 until they can more properly gauge the waters of the current climate.
Resident Evil 8 Village is set to release in 2021 for the PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
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