Capcom has shown new gameplay footage for Resident Evil 9 and revealed why, despite considering Leon S. Kennedy as the protagonist, the decision was ultimately made against him.
As part of Capcom Spotlight on June 27, 2025, Capcom released a new video for Resident Evil 9: Requiem, including gameplay and new information about the protagonist and the game concept.
It was also revealed that Leon S. Kennedy was considered for the main character. However, there was one simple reason why this decision was ultimately rejected.
Quick assignment
- All the important info at a glance
- Why Leon isn’t the main character
- Resident Evil 9 will be a turning point for the series
New info and a eulogy for 30 years of Resident Evil
The new video shows some atmospheric gameplay scenes in which Grace Ashcroft sneaks through the gloomy corridors of a building – both in first-person and third-person perspective. In a short sequence, you can also see her pulling out a pistol. There are also short excerpts from developer interviews revealing further details and anecdotes about the game.
The most important new information at a glance
- Game concept
- Resident Evil 9 will be an offline single-player game with a strong focus on horror and fear as core elements.
- The basic idea of the game is a so-called
Addictive Fear
, in which you are driven by the relieving feeling of overcoming your own fears.
- Protagonist
- The protagonist is FBI agent Grace Ashcroft, daughter of the reporter Ashley Ashcroft, known from Resident Evil: Outbreak.
- Grace is characterized by herpronounced introverted natureand this makes her aunique main character in the Resi universe
- As a horror newbie, Grace must overcome her own fears, allowing her to experience the story in the same way as the players.
- Grace is skilled with weapons thanks to her FBI training, which is expected to have an impact on gameplay.
Why Leon won’t be the main character
In the video, the developers explain that they had considered making Leon S. Kennedy the protagonist of the game. However, they wanted Part 9 to be a proper horror game again, where everything revolves around fear.
That makes Leon a terrible choice for the main character.After all, he’s not someonewho would be scared if a bucket fell on the floor, for example.
Leon has simply experienced too many crazy things in his three decades of service to be scared in any way.
The eulogy as a turning point
The developers explain that Resi 9a turning point in the series
as well as a eulogy for all the characterswho were involved in the first zombie outbreak in Raccoon City in 1996
This affects all characters who appear in the games Zero, 1, 2, and 3, as well as the corresponding remakes. This includes fan favorites such as Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, Claire Redfield, Rebecca Chambers, Albert Wesker, Barry Burton, Ada Wong, and, of course, Leon S. Kennedy.
Exactly what this means has not yet been confirmed. However, it can be assumed that you will now have to say goodbye to your beloved characters from the first game in the main series. It remains to be seen whether some of them will die or whether they will simply no longer appear prominently.
