Resident Evil producer talks horror-focused reboot

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"it’s undeniable to say the series returning to its roots is important"

Resident Evil: Revelations producer Masachika Kawata has spoken out on potential changes to the series in the future, addressing long-term fan complaints regarding the dissipation of the franchise's survival horror elements by stating that "it’s important for us to have users’ needs in mind when making the games".

While he acknowledges that the series' latter-day bombastic action/shooter direction is a more commercially viable route than traditional survival horror, he does note that the two do not have to be mutually exclusive.

As for specifically what those fans' needs are, and the means by which Capcom could fulfill them?

"...I think a lot of what people want now is to have Chris and Jill in a game, or they want it to look like Resident Evil used to look like. That’s what makes the game work for them. We should be able to start from scratch and reboot it. It would still be Resident Evil. We wouldn’t lose the essential nature of what makes it a good game just by changing the characters."

And that essential nature? Referencing last year's distinctly disappointing squad shooter Operation Racoon City, Kawata muses that in light of the game, "I would say that I review my thoughts on that [the importance of action]. But I think it’s undeniable to say the series returning to its roots is important, and those roots are horror."

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David Houghton
David Houghton
Former GamesRadar+ Features Writer

Former (and long-time) GamesRadar+ writer, Dave has been gaming with immense dedication ever since he failed dismally at some '80s arcade racer on a childhood day at the seaside (due to being too small to reach the controls without help). These days he's an enigmatic blend of beard-stroking narrative discussion and hard-hitting Psycho Crushers.