Capcom has revealed that it has a full-scale Resident Evil title planned for release by March 31, 2017, fueling speculation that the company is quietly beavering away on the seventh numbered entry in the survival horror franchise.
Speaking during its latest financial results, the industry veteran described the upcoming Umbrella Corps spin-off as a ‘warm-up’ to a ‘full-scale assault planned for the second half of the year.’
Resident Evil 7 has been rumored for a while now, although nothing official has ever come into fruition. However, it’s been nearly four years since Resident Evil 6 hit shelves, so we’re about due another stab at survival horror we reckon.
Capcom is also working on a full-blown remake of 1998’s seminal Resident Evil 2, although considering the project was only announced last August, it seems a bit early to expect it by April 2017.
Above: Resident Evil Revelations 2 is the most recent ‘canon’ entry in the series, and saw Barry and Claire returning after a lengthy hiatus. Who will feataure in Resi 7, though?
Resident Evil celebrated its 20th anniversary back in March, with Capcom confirming around the same time that it will be bringing Resident Evil 4, 5 and 6 to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One this year. Resi 6 is already out, with 5 due in summer and 4 following later in the year.
The ports follow high-definition revamps of Resident Evil and Resident Evil Zero, which hit PS4 in January 2015 and January 2016, respectively. The aforementioned Umbrella Corps will release on PS4 and PC on June 21, 2016.
Resident Evil launched in Japan on March 22, 1996 for the original PlayStation and launched a franchise that would become Capcom’s biggest-selling property to date with over 61 million units sold worldwide. It also spawned a hugely successful film series starring Milla Jovovich, which concludes early next year with Resident Evil: The Final Chapter.
Oh, and if that wasn’t enough to get fans excited, Capcom’s also working on a brand new CG film starring Leon Kennedy, Chris Redfield and Rebecca Chambers.