Capcom teases a new closed beta test "celebrating the 25th anniversary of Resident Evil"

Resident Evil 8
(Image credit: Capcom)

Capcom has teased that it has a closed beta coming up for an unknown game "celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Resident Evil". 

Available on PS4 and Xbox One – and accessible on PS5 and Xbox Series X - the closed test is running on January 27 to January 29, 2021. You'll need a Capcom ID to participate, be over 18 years old, and apply by January 20. 

Resident Evil Ambassadors with a silver rank or above "will have a greater chance of being selected for the beta", while the highest-ranking ambassadors, platinum level, have their chances of selection boosted tenfold. 

Beyond this information, Capcom has been pretty taciturn, but it promises that more information about the unannounced game will be confirmed next week during its upcoming Resident Evil Village Showcase, although speculation – as you might well expect – is already rife, with some suggesting it might be a multiplayer mode for Resident Evil 8 Village. 

So far, we know that Resident Evil 8, a Resident Evil manga, and a Resident Evil Netflix series will all be launching at some point in the next year. Capcom is going all-in on celebrating the historic horror franchise, and it promises to be a significant year for fans.

Resident Evil 8 is a "conclusion" to the story started in 2017's Resident Evil 7, the game's producers revealed last year. We actually know a fair amount about the highly anticipated horror sequel, such as returning characters Ethan Winters and Chris Redfield, the promise of more player experimentation and freedom than in Resident Evil 7, various enemy and plot details, and more.

Capcom was recently victim to a "customised ransomware attack", resulting in details about Resident Evil 8 and other projects being leaked online.

Capcom stated personal information relating to the company had been leaked online, including sales reports, financial information, and nine items of personal information from both current and former employees have been published online.

It was also concerned that the personal details of up to 350,000 customers, business partners, and employees had been published online, including personal contact details such as phone numbers and addresses, although no credit card information had been accessed.

Consequently, due to the leak, we now know that Dragon's Dogma 2 and Street Fighter 6 are on the way. Other games on the list include a Resident Evil 4 remake, Resident Evil Outbreak, and Monster Hunter 6. 

Resident Evil 7 made it onto our list of the best horror games, so we're already pretty excited for the next game.

Vikki Blake
Weekend Reporter, GamesRadar+

Vikki Blake is GamesRadar+'s Weekend Reporter. Vikki works tirelessly to ensure that you have something to read on the days of the week beginning with 'S', and can also be found contributing to outlets including the BBC, Eurogamer, and GameIndustry.biz. Vikki also runs a weekly games column at NME, and can be frequently found talking about Destiny 2 and Silent Hill on Twitter.