Leon S. Kennedy is finally confirmed for Resident Evil Requiem, and Capcom noted that his fate will intertwine with that of Grace Ashcroft (as if saving her wasn’t enough). But how much will players actually control him throughout the campaign? According to director Akifumi Nakanishi in an interview with Automaton-Media, their sections are “almost equally split.”
“In terms of gameplay, Grace and Leon’s playable sections are almost equally split.” Citing Resident Evil: Revelations as having a similar structure, he noted that, “It’s almost like having two games with completely different types of tension mixed together.”
“Early on, we worried players might not be able to keep up, but now we feel that the contrast gives the game a unique rhythm, like jumping into a cold bath after sitting in a hot sauna (laughs).”
Leon is the more action-packed side of the equation, serving as a kind of “release” after Grace’s more survival horror-oriented side. However, Nakanishi revealed that he’s the type who “doesn’t hesitate to sacrifice himself to save others.” Foreshadowing his fate, perhaps?
“The battle this time will probably push Leon to his limits more than ever before, and this is a crucial part of the experience. He’s the type who doesn’t hesitate to sacrifice himself to save others, but he’s not arrogant about it, and he has a passionate inner self. I hope you’ll also look forward to the dry wit and subtle sarcasm that only an older guy can bring.”
Finally, if you think Leon looks good for his age, then that’s completely intentional on Capcom’s part. The development team wanted him to be “handsome” and “cool personality-wise, too.”
“Although he’s a character who carries a lot on his shoulders, we took a lot of care in refining him to be an ‘ikeoji’ (a cool/attractive older guy). The reactions to the trailer on that front have made us happy (laughs).”
Resident Evil Requiem launches on February 27th, 2026, for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. While it’s a little over two months away, Capcom will share even more information in a deep dive early next year. Perhaps we’ll get to see just how Leon’s gameplay loop, which allegedly includes bigger levels with vehicular travel, works.
