Capcom’s remake of Resident Evil 4 has been a critical and commercial success over the last 2 years, selling millions of copies, and earning several award nominations. However, the game’s success was anything but guaranteed, and there were concerns about the project within the company. In an interview with IGN, director Yasuhiro Ampo revealed that the well-regarded nature of the original Resident Evil 4 was a topic of discussion at Capcom, and that played into the decision about whether or not to remake the game.
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“…[Resident Evil 4] was still a title that enjoyed some popularity. So there was a lot of internal discussion on how maybe it’s not a good idea. Maybe we don’t need a remake for Resident Evil 4, especially because Resident Evil 4 is a game that is so beloved. If we get anything wrong with the remake, people might be quite vocal about their discomfort,” Ampo told IGN.
When the Resident Evil 4 remake was announced, fans shared similar concerns. Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 were first released in the ’90s on the original PlayStation, and the games had a lot of rough aspects that hadn’t aged well; notably, the fixed camera angles and tank controls needed improvements. These outdated elements made both games ideal candidates for the remake treatment. Comparatively, Resident Evil 4 first came out on GameCube in 2005, and had greatly improved on the formula seen in previous games. There was far less to improve on, and some fans felt that it was a mistake to prioritize the game over other Resident Evil entries.
All of that certainly made Resident Evil 4 a risky remake, but things worked out pretty well. There are a lot of questions now about what will come next. Some have assumed that Capcom will continue with the numbered series entries, and will remake 2009’s Resident Evil 5 next. Others are hoping that the company will instead focus on Resident Evil – Code: Veronica, a game that came out 5 years prior to the original Resident Evil 4. Capcom has yet to reveal what’s in store for the series, but the publisher is well aware of the demand that has surrounded Code: Veronica over the last few years.
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Whatever comes next, hopefully Capcom will continue to put in the same level of quality fans have come to expect from the Resident Evil remakes. Resident Evil 4 could have easily flopped, but the remake clearly had a lot of thought and care put into it. That has paid off very well for Capcom, and fans will just have to speculate for the time being about which game will get a similar treatment.
Are you happy that Capcom remade Resident Evil 4? Or would you have preferred it if the publisher remade a different game in the series? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
