First Glimpse of Resident Evil Requiem Gameplay Revealed: Capcom Explains Leon’s Absence as Protagonist

Wow, so there I was, sitting on my couch last June, popcorn at the ready, just waiting for Capcom’s big show — the Capcom Spotlight, if you will. The Resident Evil Requiem bit? Yeah, that was the headliner for sure. But guess what? We didn’t really get the full-on gameplay I was hoping for. Bummer town, right?

Anyway, they did toss us a bone, kinda. We got a peek into why they decided to steer the sequel the way they did. Spoiler: It’s got something to do with Grace, this new protagonist. Oh, and in classic random video game presentation style, there was that whole “we need cookies to see this” thing. Can’t say I paid much attention to that.

Now, full disclosure, the whole segment was a bit like a documentary mashed up with snatches of gameplay. I’m talking long chats with the developers. Not exactly the thrill-a-minute spectacle I had in mind. But hey, we learned Grace is related to the Ashcroft family from the good old Resident Evil Outbreak days. I half expected a Winters family crossover, but I guess Capcom is more into throwing it back to Raccoon City — maybe because it’s the 30th anniversary or something. Who even keeps track anymore?

So, about Leon Kennedy — why isn’t he trotting around in Requiem? Simple, really. Dude’s too tough to scare, apparently. I chuckled at that. They needed someone who would basically scream their head off — like us regular folks when we play. Enter Grace: part FBI agent, part freakout machine. It’s like they wanted us to feel like we’re in the game. Smart move or total guess? Can’t say.

Now, swinging over to Game Fest teasers, it’s kind of interesting how you can switch between first and third-person perspectives. Not them pandering to the Resident Evil Village fans, though. Nah, they just realized gamers stick with one or the other naturally. Go figure.

Bookmark February 27, 2026 — that’s when Resident Evil Requiem opens its creepy doors on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. I’ll be there, popcorn prepped, hoping for less chit-chat and more jump scares.