Resident Evil Showcase 2026: 5 Major Reveals
▼ Summary
– Capcom’s Resident Evil Showcase for the upcoming game “Resident Evil: Requiem” provided limited new information, focusing heavily on merchandise.
– The game will feature unique difficulty settings, including a “Standard (Classic)” mode that requires ink ribbons to save the game.
– A new crafting mechanic requires players to obtain infected blood from zombies to create certain items.
– The zombies in this installment exhibit unusual, retained human behaviors and traits, with some even capable of conversation.
– The showcase introduced a mystery element called “elpis,” a secret carried by Leon that is linked to a central character’s death.
Capcom’s highly anticipated Resident Evil Showcase for 2026 has concluded, offering fans a focused look at the upcoming Resident Evil: Requiem. While the event centered almost exclusively on the new title and its associated merchandise, it provided several intriguing details about gameplay mechanics, difficulty options, and the unsettling new world players will explore. The presentation confirmed a release date of February 27, 2026, for Xbox, PC, PlayStation, and the Nintendo Switch 2.
The showcase detailed the game’s approach to challenge through its difficulty settings. Players can choose a Casual mode designed for narrative enjoyment, complete with aim assist, or a Standard mode for a balanced experience. The most notable option is Standard (Classic) difficulty, which introduces a classic survival-horror staple: Grace will need to collect ink ribbons to save her progress at typewriters, adding a layer of resource management and tension.
A new crafting system was also unveiled, introducing a grim resource economy. Key items in RE: Requiem can only be crafted using infected blood, harvested from defeated zombies. While protagonist Grace is not a seasoned combatant, she carries a handgun named Requiem for emergencies. Players will need to strategically engage enemies to gather this vital material and create tools for survival.
A significant portion of the event felt like a merchandising segment, highlighting numerous real-world items tied to the game. These include a limited-edition Hamilton watch collaboration, with only 2,000 units each of Grace and Leon’s in-game watches, a themed Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, new amiibo figures, announced orchestra concerts, a Deluxe Edition, and detailed figurines of the two main characters. The emphasis on purchasable products was notably heavy within the presentation.
The zombies in Requiem appear to exhibit disturbing new behaviors, setting them apart from traditional shambling foes. Some infected retain eerie echoes of their former lives, such as a custodian zombie obsessively cleaning or a man desperately pressing elevator buttons. Most strikingly, the trailer concludes with a zombie engaging Grace in what seems like a coherent, calm conversation, raising major questions about the nature of the outbreak and whether a new strain of virus is at play.
The final reveal was a cryptic mention of “Elpis,” a secret carried by Leon. This mystery element appears connected to the unsolved murder of Grace’s mother, Alyssa, and may be linked to the conspicuous zombie bite mark seen on Leon in previous trailers. As Leon himself suggests in the footage, this enigma will likely require a “second opinion,” leaving fans with a compelling narrative hook to ponder until the game’s release.
(Source: IGN)
