Capcom’s Survival Horror Series Other Than Resident Evil Has Been Missing Since 2003

With all the buzz about the upcoming release of Resident Evil Requiem and the attention that the Resident Evil series has gotten, some Capcom fans may have forgotten about one particular horror series that has lain dormant for the longest. It isn’t Dead Rising, which got a “Deluxe Remaster” last year, or Devil May Cry, which also got a 2024 release in the form of Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat and is currently getting a Netflix adaptation. No, this game, which may be due to see the light of day, is a little more prehistoric.

The series is Dino Crisis, a dinosaur survival horror experience that features epic Tyrannosaurus Rex battles, international intrigue, and even time travel. Unfortunately, the series, which went on for a total of five games, ended in 2003 after the release of Dino Crisis 3 and Dino Crisis Dungeon in Chaos. After years of silence and subtle nods toward a future sequel or remaster, it’s definitely time that Capcom made good on fan expectations and instituted a definitive Dino Crisis revival.

The Potential For a New Game In the Series

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Earlier this year, Dino Crisis fans were beset with speculation after purported Capcom leaks teased the return of the dinosaur survival series. On March 11th, it was discovered that the Dino Crisis name had been trademarked by Capcom, under the Class 41 “education and entertainment” trademark in Japan.

Now, by itself, a Japanese trademark doesn’t necessarily mean a game is forthcoming or even in development. Japan is a country with notoriously strict copyright laws, and companies need to renew trademarks every ten years. Without regular attention to trademarks, others can potentially use the intellectual property if a company lets its trademark rights lapse. However, just last week, another Dino Crisis trademark was spotted in Brazil by Portuguese-language publication REVIL. Capcom had filed for a Dino Crisis registration under the same classification as its Resident Evil Requiem trademark, making it more likely that the company is at least considering a new title.

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While these moves don’t necessarily add up to a new Dino Crisis game, they follow a familiar pattern. Capcom registrations foretold the sequel to the Onimusha series, dubbed Onimusha: Way of the Sword, that is currently set for a 2026 release date. In the wake of the announcement, prices spiked for related Onimusha games.

Why Dino Crisis Deserves a Revival

Has there really been a definitive and well-received Dinosaur shooter game in the modern era? One might point to Ark: Survival Evolved, but that game contains a mixture of different creatures, with dinosaurs and gunplay a smaller part of a more expansive game. Ark has also faced challenges in maintaining a positive perception for the series, as recent AI scandals and botched gameplay updates have prompted apologies from the Ark team. The Turok series recently got a new remaster, so I think that it’s the perfect time for Capcom to bring back Dino Crisis and usher in a new wave of Dinosaur nostalgia. Given the huge phenomenon of dinosaurs in the 90s and early 2000s, it’s surprising that there hasn’t been a similar revival like the ones seen with 80s aesthetics and Zombie-themed movies and games.

While they may appear quaint now, the Dino Crisis games were legitimately scary in a way that zombies, Resident Evil, or spooky atmospheric titles like Silent Hill couldn’t match. There was an active danger, enemies that felt visceral while determined to hunt you down, no matter what you tried. I suppose this kind of feeling was carried forward by titles like Dead Space that took players to the weirdness of outer space to confront horrific monsters. However, the future of this series was also called into question when it was revealed that Dead Space 4 was rejected by its publisher. Also, there was something lost from the horror when developers started inserting creatures from the realms of high science fiction or magic fantasy. In Dino Crisis, the fear felt more earned and real when confronting and surviving against terrestrial monsters who were out for a meal instead of trying to enact grand plans to enslave humanity or the cosmos.

Another reason why Dino Crisis should be revived, besides its core concept not being properly served in the current landscape, is that fans actually want it. Last year, Capcom held a worldwide poll among its fans to see which games from its vast catalog they liked the best. Out of 254,148 respondents, the second highest choice after Devil May Cry 5 was Dino Crisis, taking 10,978 votes. This was quite an impressive result for a series that hadn’t gotten a new release in over 20 years, beating out the likes of other Capcom fan favorites like Resident Evil 4, Okami, and Monster Hunter: World.

Do you have strong nostalgia for the Dino Crisis games? How excited would you be if a new game or series remaster were announced soon? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.