Capcom to Use Resident Evil Remakes for Annual Releases

Capcom has outlined a strategic shift for its Resident Evil franchise, aiming to release a new title annually by relying on a cycle of remakes to fill gaps between mainline entries. In a recent interview, producer Masachika Kawata explained that this approach makes the ambitious goal feasible while also generating crucial funding for new projects.

Kawata stated that producing a brand-new mainline game every year would be a difficult undertaking. Instead, revisiting and remaking older titles allows the company to maintain a yearly release cadence. He emphasized that these remakes are not secondary projects, describing them as just as important as the mainline games. Beyond sustaining the release schedule, Kawata noted that remakes serve as creative challenges that help the development team hone its craft.

Financially, the strategy has proven successful. Kawata explained that the revenue generated from remakes provides resources to fund new mainline Resident Evil games and entirely new intellectual properties, such as the upcoming title Pragmata. While specific figures were not provided in the interview, industry analysis has previously indicated strong commercial performance for...