Resident Evil Requiem Refuses to Answer the Biggest Question Fans Have

Gamescom has brought a plethora of news about the next year’s slate of games, and Resident Evil Requiem is one of the most highly-anticipated. Fans weren’t disappointed and received a new trailer at Gamescom’s opening night ceremony that featured the game’s new protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft from Resident Evil Outbreak. It featured her and her mother with no mention of any returning or new side characters. It’s only logical that the new info revolves around what’s to come for the RE franchise, but fans have one glaring question: Where is Leon Kennedy?

Is Leon in RE9 or What?

Though Capcom has kept silent on Leon’s presence in RE9, leaker Dusk Golem has insisted that he’s “in the game as a main character, he’s playable for huge chunks of the game and plays a major role.” Leaks come with a certain amount of uncertainty, but the claims were enough to ignite discussion around whether or not the beloved protagonist would be in RE‘s newest entry into the series.

The original reveal trailer, released in June of 2025, heavily features Grace Ashcroft and introduces her as a protagonist, but also shows impactful shots of a bombed-out Raccoon City. This may just be a nostalgia pull, Capcom’s way of letting fans explore the classic location with new-and-improved graphics, but avid Leon truthers are saying it’s a hint at his inclusion. Many hoped that the Gamescom trailer would include more information about his potential appearance in the game, but no such luck.

The trailer released at Gamescom is a flashback, rumored to be taking place around 2018, but the main game takes place two decades later in 2038. Following the timeline of Resident Evil‘s canon, that would mean Leon is pushing 50 at the time of RE9‘s main story, which is a little old for a horror protagonist, but Dusk Golem insists that RE9 is to be his final hurrah.

However, the gameplay trailer released at Gamescom included not even an inkling of the grizzled horror warrior, leading fans to think something’s being covered up. Firstly, the original RE9 trailer focused heavily on the Raccoon City police station, whose horrid halls were first explored in Resident Evil 2, and many fans find it unthinkable that this isn’t a hint towards the game’s hero. Unfortunately, Capcom has been staunchly tight-lipped in either direction, neither confirming or denying whether fans can expect to see Leon in the coming months. There’s no way this isn’t intentional and is actually beneficial for the series. Despite the agony it causes fans, the hype generated by the speculation is a great boon to the game’s reputation.

Read Next

Forget Resident Evil Requiem, I Need Resident Evil: Revelations 3

Capcom Keeping Mystery Alive Is Good for Resident Evil

If Leon Kennedy does end up appearing in Resident Evil 9, Capcom is smart for keeping quiet about it. His character is popular online for a myriad of reasons; RE2 is an incredibly popular game, and Leon is an iconic figurehead, so any game featuring everyone’s beloved rookie cop is going to be talked about. By refusing to confirm or deny whether he’ll appear in RE9, Capcom gets to benefit from the word-of-mouth advertisement generated by the speculation. Fans of Leon that don’t necessarily care about the other installments of the series will be interested by the prospect of seeing him again, pulling them back into the franchise through the possibility of their favorite character being put through The Horrors once again.

Whether he appears in cameo or by mention only, there’s no denying that Leon Kennedy is foundational to the Resident Evil franchise. From his role in RE2, RE4, and beyond, this can-do-cop is an iconic face of the series and fans would love to see him again, even if it is to say goodbye. Resident Evil 9 doesn’t launch until February 26th, 2026, so there’s quite some time for fans to talk in the meantime. It’s unlikely that Capcom will break their silence soon–with so much time before release, they’re going to want to leave the reveal of Leon Kennedy (if it’s coming) to a less news-heavy time. If Leon is in Resident Evil 9, the suspense and reveal will be that much more gratifying when the game is released.