Video Games News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

- Image from Resident Evil Requiem courtesy of Capcom

The Grace Period Begins in Resident Evil: Requiem Without Leon Kennedy

Originally posted on Total Apex Gaming | By David Gilbert | Last updated Sep 27, 2025 7:23 PM ET

In a recent interview, Resident Evil: Requiem director Koshi Nakanishi and producer Masato Kumazawa discussed what fans should expect from the next installment in the zombie franchise. According to all official information, Leon Kennedy is shockingly absent from the game. So, why did the new trailer and the subsequent hands-on preview build remain completely devoid of any sign of the beloved hero?

Capcom’s Character Conundrum

The day before this meeting, Capcom had aired its Capcom Online Program showcase during the Tokyo Game Show. Many eager fans, including the journalist and their colleagues, had high expectations about a certain character’s involvement in Requiem. Specifically, the new trailer seemed like the perfect moment to finally confirm Leon’s appearance, whether as a playable character or a story element.

When questioned about this strange disconnect between expectation and reality, Nakanishi and Kumazawa simply laughed in response. Moreover, Kumazawa added that they would take the feedback regarding Leon Kennedy’s absence on board. Ever since Requiem‘s initial trailer appeared to contain several subtle teases for his appearance, Fan demand for Leon to appear had been building for months.

As these rumors continue to escalate, some speculation suggests Leon would appear as a secondary playable protagonist alongside the new heroine, Grace Ashcroft. In an effort to downplay these rumors, both directors explained that Kennedy’s action-hero persona was a poor fit for Requiem‘s more horror-focused tone. Still, the excitement for the game persisted despite these comments. In fact, the developers carefully avoided making any definitive statement that would entirely rule out even a brief cameo.

A Requiem for Our Expectations

Image of Resident Evil Requiem, Courtesy of Capcom

Given the background noise resulting from the constant speculation about Leon, one has to wonder if it undermines the team’s efforts to establish Grace as Requiem‘s central star. However, the developers have shown no concern over this issue. Kumazawa even stated that they were simply happy that people were so interested in the game as to speculate so intensely. Furthermore, the developers seem very committed to positioning Grace as the new face of this story.

That said, could Requiem then be seen as a symbolic passing of the torch from the series’ classic characters to a new generation? According to Kumazawa, this approach was probably going too far, as the team had no intention of wiping the slate clean of the series’ rich lore and history. The developer clarified that his motivation for creating Grace stemmed from a desire not to always rely on existing characters when crafting new narratives.

The Ghoulish Details You Missed

Since the publication had previously previewed Requiem, readers could find those initial impressions available on the website. Not only did Nakanishi and Kumazawa talk about Leon Kennedy, but they also covered other topics, such as the development of the game for the Nintendo Switch 2. Whether the team encountered any unique challenges bringing the horror experience to the new hardware was discussed as well. Additionally, fans can read about the duo’s take on the return of Raccoon City and the design process behind the game’s terrifying new monsters.

This article first appeared on Total Apex Gaming and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: