Resident Evil has officially turned 20 today, having first released in Japan for the PlayStation on March 22, 1996—and Capcom’s celebrating with a series of all-new developer interviews.
First up is a word from long-time series producer, Hiroyuki Kobayashi, who reflects on his time with the venerable survival horror franchise over the years before capping things off with a message to Resi fans.
"Resident Evil came out on March 22, 1996," said Kobayashi-san. "I never thought I’d still be working on the series 20 years later. We owe the global success of the series to you, our incredible fans.
"Each title in the series has its own tone, and while people may like one over another, the creative teams are just as passionate no matter which title. So if you’re a Resident Evil fan but there are titles in the series you’ve not played, I would love it if you’d take the time to check them out. Hopefully the 20th anniversary will give you a chance to think about the whole series. Thank you and I look forward to your continued support of Resident Evil!"
Capcom has plenty of Resi-related goodies in the pipeline for the near future, including current-generation ports of Resident Evil 4, 5 and 6, the upcoming PS4-exclusive Umbrella Corps, plus a full-blown remake of Resident Evil 2.
Check out the interview below and be sure to check out our re-published History of Resident Evil feature while you’re at it.