Resident Evil Requiem‘s developers have revealed that Leon Kennedy was considered as the game’s main character, but there was a very specific reason why they didn’t go that route. The Resident Evil series has a lot of really iconic main characters, but historically, a lot of them are pretty badass. They may be able to recognize the insanity of the situation in front of them, but they’re typically not very scared. That’s because guys like Chris Redfield and Leon Kennedy are super trained and well-equipped to handle any situation thrown at them. Ethan Winters is one of the few characters to not fit this bill, but he was more confused than terrified typically.
With that said, Capcom decided that it wanted to make a character that mirrors the player’s terror with Resident Evil Requiem, the ninth mainline game in the series. Players will take control of Grace Ashcroft, an FBI analyst who has weapons training, but is far from an expert in combat. That will ensure she’s at least capable of handling threats, but she’s used to being stuck behind a desk and is described by the developers as an introvert, so taking on disgusting creatures and monsters is a big leap for her.
Resident Evil 9: Why Leon Kennedy Isn’t the Main Character
With players returning to Raccoon City, Capcom confirmed in a new feature about the game that they considered making Leon Kennedy the main character in Resident Evil Requiem. Leon has been rumored for a while as a key part of Requiem, but the recent announcement trailer confirmed that Grace is the main character. While some have held out hope that the rumors are true and Leon appears elsewhere in the game, Capcom has revealed they didn’t make him the main character because no one wants to see Leon scared.
“We always thought about making Leon the protagonist, but making a horror game around him is difficult,” said director Koshi Nakanishi. “He wouldn’t jump at something like a bucket falling. No wants to see Leon scared by every little thing. So, he’s actually quite a bad match for horror.”
With that said, Leon could appear as a secondary character and we could still play as him. Resident Evil Village briefly let players take control of Chris Redfield as part of a section of the game that is far more action-heavy than the rest of it. It does look like Resident Evil Requiem is creating a spookier, more lonely vibe than previous games, so it’s unclear how Leon could fit into the game, if he does at all. The last time we saw him outside of remakes was in Resident Evil 6 which was well over a decade ago, so it would be great to see him pop up in this new game.
The developers also teased that what happened in Raccoon City had major ripple effects across the series. Not only did it take the lives of a lot of people, but it also dramatically impacted the lives of others who survived the events. They view this game as a “requiem” for the series and those characters, possibly suggesting we may get some cameos from those familiar faces.
What Resident Evil characters do you want to see in Resident Evil 9? Let me know in the comments. Resident Evil Requiem will release on February 27th, 2026.
