During Capcom’s Resident Evil showcase, fans got an extended look at the Resident Evil 4 remake. While we’ve heard plenty about the gameplay updates and the pre-order goodies available, there haven’t been direct announcements about any in-game purchases yet. The rumor comes from the game’s listing on the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) website. Under the “Interactive Elements” column for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, it says, “In-Game Purchases.”
Fans of the series may recall that the Resident Evil 3 remake also had in-game purchases as well as a small multi-player element called Resident Evil: Resistance. The game was an online “element” of the Resident Evil 3 remake, and it featured four survivors pitted against a trap-setting mastermind and other hazards. It is said that the third game remake focused mostly on story over action, which is why it was “bundled” with Resident Evil: Resistance. It would be a leap to assume that this means the upcoming Resident Evil 4 will also feature some sort of multiplayer element based on the similarity of including in-game purchases alone, but one can only hope, right?
In fact, it looks less likely that this fourth remake will have to do an online multiplayer mode. Producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi recently talked about his team’s awareness of the reception both the Resident Evil 2 remake and the Resident Evil 3 remake had. The third remake was criticized for having scenes cut from it, creating a shorter game. The experiment of separating the story and action to the extent that Resident Evil 3 did, unfortunately, didn’t pan out for them, so they listened to fans’ feedback. Kobayashi specifically said that the Resident Evil 4 remakes gameplay, while certainly tweaked and updated, will still be about as long as the original.
So as nice as a multiplayer mode may sound, it isn’t a given just yet. At this time, everything about what the in-game purchases are and if this means there will be any multiplayer elements in the remake is purely speculation. If you’re looking for a multiplayer experience in the Resident Evil universe, check out Resident Evil Re:Verse. The newly released online game is still finding its sea legs, but it could be a nice tide-over until we hear what’s going on with the remake.
Resident Evil 4 remake will be released on March 24, 2023, and will be available to play on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
