RE9 Do you want RE9 to be co-op?

[Cindy B]

With all of the open world rumors it has me thinking RE9 could go back to co-op?

What do you want from the next entry, pure single player or optional co-op?

I think they could do co-op in a much better way all these years later with the new tech and engine we have, but not sure which I want yet.

 

[Caffeine Addict]

For an open world game, it would be cool. Although some say survival horror games are best played when one is alone.

Generally, I agree that having help can hinder the creepiness. But characters in RE with how people are more aware of the threats, characters typically have partners or a team of military personnel, meaning the option is always there to have a tag along.

Days Gone having co-op would have been amazing. The same with other horror or pandemic themed games of a large budget where a NPC is usually nearby.

 

[Burton]

I'm definitely hoping the RE9 main game is single player, or at the very least no AI companions if you play it solo for maximum survival creepiness. I think it's the AI companions that I'm not a fan of, if you choose to play with a friend that of course can be awesome too.

 

[Caffeine Addict]

It's okay to have character interactions sometimes, but RE to me I feel is no longer a straight-up horror series. Even other horror things that used to be scary now depict zombies as being like extras, rarely making you feel overwhelmed as they used to. There is also too much action.

If you're playing Chris, you are probably going to be feeling chilled because his experience with bioweapons makes him too battle hardened. Whereas these Harry Mason or Ethan Winters sorts are not accustomed to these environments, so the story feels more in keeping with someone who just enters an unknown place full of dangers. And this intrigued me more, especially if they have an indirect link to it all which must be learned of through unraveling.

 

[Spera01]

I'd prefer single player for RE9 personally. While I wouldn't mind a co-op mercenaries mode, I think the single player experience should remain the story mode outside of maybe an AI companion joining up at parts (I.E. Luis in RE4 Remake).

 

[MGr]

I believe the option for co-op would be beneficial.

 

[LoveShenYun]

Story mode, had better solo but co-op the plots in some parts as necessary but only about being more immersive. Also, more intense and funny on very hard + nightmare.
Actually I think it's better put co-op on Merc/DLCs(other sides of story). Not only explain important of details on whole story, but also enrich new funny ways on gameplay. Even solo + AIPC and only need to take to optimize by maximum the latter and everything will be all right.

 

[Duty]

Not particularly, no. Loneliness, vulnerability, and "making the best of what you can find" are hallmark survival horror traits. Co-op sorta erodes this, and I personally would like the game to be more survival horror, not less.

They would really have to go above and beyond and revolutionize the way co-op is done to get it right, and I just don't believe the time and resources are worth it.

Being able to select between two different characters for different playthroughs ala Biohazard 1 and 2 would excite me though.

 

[Yama]

Not particularly, no. Loneliness, vulnerability, and "making the best of what you can find" are hallmark survival horror traits. Co-op sorta erodes this, and I personally would like the game to be more survival horror, not less.

They would really have to go above and beyond and revolutionize the way co-op is done to get it right, and I just don't believe the time and resources are worth it.

Being able to select between two different characters for different playthroughs ala Biohazard 1 and 2 would excite me though.

I admittedly do miss playing Biohazard with our community and friends, however I always have tended to agree with your sentiments. I do think with tech advancements and such we can make it a bit more of a seamless and believable experience, such as the RE:2 segments with Leon/Ada, etc. I suppose it depends on the rumored open world as well, really changes the way the game can be attacked.

The most obvious way to go about this however would always be an Outbreak-ish game that gets scenarios added to it over time and then keeping the mainline entries single player. Why we've dumped decades of resources into failed multi projects instead of a formula that works (and even lends itself in a positive way to the live service models of today).

 

[Duty]

...rumored open world...

That's a rumor within a rumor. The original rumor (not confirmed) was that RE9 would be using some modified Dragon's Dogma engine, the rumor after that was that would mean that the game would be open world.

While open world games are making bank and it could be possible Capcom could take it to that level, it's probably not a good idea to take rumors as gospel, and to wait until Capcom gives us more information.

Remember, the time period between Biohazard 7 and 8 was 4 years and 4 months. We will hit the 4 year mark in May of next year since Village was released, meaning a late 2025 or early 2026 release is probable.

Village is certainly more open but is still a far cry from being open world, so imagine the development time needed to make Biohazard a truly open world experience akin to Elden Ring or Skyrim. It would probably take Capcom many many years to pull it off, without a guarantee it would be well received by fans. Factoring in all of their other projects, would be a very daunting dask for the studio.

For context, the time period between Dark Souls 3 and Elden Ring took From Software 6 years to realize, and that was with the full weight of the studio behind it for their first foray in open world. Giving Capcom the benefit of the doubt that they could achieve open world Biohazard 9 that long even with the studios many other projects, we would have a long long ways to go.

If they announce another REmake before they announce Biohazard 9 I could be persuaded that Biohazard 9 will be much more open world than previous titles. Until then, I wouldn't bet a dime on it.

 

[Yama]

That's a rumor within a rumor. The original rumor (not confirmed) was that RE9 would be using some modified Dragon's Dogma engine, the rumor after that was that would mean that the game would be open world.

While open world games are making bank and it could be possible Capcom could take it to that level, it's probably not a good idea to take rumors as gospel, and to wait until Capcom gives us more information.

Remember, the time period between Biohazard 7 and 8 was 4 years and 4 months. We will hit the 4 year mark in May of next year since Village was released, meaning a late 2025 or early 2026 release is probable.

Village is certainly more open but is still a far cry from being open world, so imagine the development time needed to make Biohazard a truly open world experience akin to Elden Ring or Skyrim. It would probably take Capcom many many years to pull it off, without a guarantee it would be well received by fans. Factoring in all of their other projects, would be a very daunting dask for the studio.

For context, the time period between Dark Souls 3 and Elden Ring took From Software 6 years to realize, and that was with the full weight of the studio behind it for their first foray in open world. Giving Capcom the benefit of the doubt that they could achieve open world Biohazard 9 that long even with the studios many other projects, we would have a long long ways to go.

If they announce another REmake before they announce Biohazard 9 I could be persuaded that Biohazard 9 will be much more open world than previous titles. Until then, I wouldn't bet a dime on it.

Nobody did? Simply said if it’s open, it can be attacked much differently, if it’s not likely more traditionally. Hope it isn’t either, I’d be happier with foe-open segments much like in TLOU2 when Ellie and Dina explore the city on horseback but then move on somewhat quickly.

 

[Burton]

That's a rumor within a rumor. The original rumor (not confirmed) was that RE9 would be using some modified Dragon's Dogma engine, the rumor after that was that would mean that the game would be open world.

While open world games are making bank and it could be possible Capcom could take it to that level, it's probably not a good idea to take rumors as gospel, and to wait until Capcom gives us more information.

Remember, the time period between Biohazard 7 and 8 was 4 years and 4 months. We will hit the 4 year mark in May of next year since Village was released, meaning a late 2025 or early 2026 release is probable.

Village is certainly more open but is still a far cry from being open world, so imagine the development time needed to make Biohazard a truly open world experience akin to Elden Ring or Skyrim. It would probably take Capcom many many years to pull it off, without a guarantee it would be well received by fans. Factoring in all of their other projects, would be a very daunting dask for the studio.

For context, the time period between Dark Souls 3 and Elden Ring took From Software 6 years to realize, and that was with the full weight of the studio behind it for their first foray in open world. Giving Capcom the benefit of the doubt that they could achieve open world Biohazard 9 that long even with the studios many other projects, we would have a long long ways to go.

If they announce another REmake before they announce Biohazard 9 I could be persuaded that Biohazard 9 will be much more open world than previous titles. Until then, I wouldn't bet a dime on it.

Yeah, the original rumor was that because Dragon's Dogma 2 and Monster Hunter Wilds are both open world games that are using RE Engine, RE9 might be an open world game too, taking advantage of the new features added to RE Engine for these other open world games.

There is something else though, Koshi Nakanishi went from directing RE7 to directing RE9 and didn't work on RE8. So it has been in development for a long time. Capcom were working on RE8 and RE9 at the same time for several years

 

[Duty]

There is something else though, Koshi Nakanishi went from directing RE7 to directing RE9 and didn't work on RE8. So it has been in development for a long time. Capcom were working on RE8 and RE9 at the same time for several years

I wish we could find out a way to verify what Nakanishi has been doing since Not Hero. As we know for certain, RE2R, RE3R, Village, RE4R were all released since RE7. Nakanishi was not involved with any of these projects, but that would be one Hell of a plate load for Capcom if RE9 was in full production quietly behind the scenes during this time. I am unfamiliar with Capcom's corporate structure, but that's quite a lot and he did admit recently that he honestly had no idea where to take RE9 until not too long ago so there is also that.

Fun fact though in any case: Village was directed by Morimasa Sato, who co-wrote RE7's lackluster main story and Village was written by Antony Johnston, some British guy, which would explain the "Labyrinth" grade story of Village.

Just this quick bit of research has actually ironically hyped me up a bit inadvertently, if Sato and Johnston aren't involved in Biohazard 9 that's already a hopeful sign in my book.

 

[Burton]

he did admit recently that he honestly had no idea where to take RE9 until not too long ago so there is also that.

Here is the quote I think you are mentioning from Koshi Nakanishi:
"We are making a new Resident Evil. It was really difficult to figure out what to do after 7. But I found it, and to be honest it feels substantial."

It's interesting that he says it was difficult to figure out what to do after 7 and not after 8. We know he wasn't involved in 8 so it seems as though he has been working on this new Resident Evil since he finished working on 7. Combine that with the fact that RE Engine is being used for 2 open world games already and this idea that Koshi Nakanishi is making an open world Resident Evil is at least plausible.

 

[Duty]

Well, as long as they know their limits and do not fly too close to the sun like Icarus, I would say it could be doable.

Anyone played S.T.A.L.K.E.R.? I think that's the type of "open world" they should aim for. The game is open world but not 100%. It has large sections all divided up into "zones". I think RE could achieve something similar to that, especially in a Raccoon City like environment.

Thinking Biohazard 3 maps here, where Raccoon City on the map screen has several locations like "Uptown" and "Downtown" etc.

Instead of just opening and closing doors to progress in each area, every section of the city could be wide open and fully explorable, with handcrafted items all set in place (some items of course would be not accessible until you advance further in the story)

It would have to be done in a way that feels natural though, the last thing we need is a Biohazard game that's big but feels floaty and arcadey with big artificial words popping up telling you where you are every time you enter a new area.

I think also another cool location, if they don't want the game to take place in a city, would be the somewhere in the Kuril Islands. Considering recent events that I do not wish to discuss, I think that would be a really cool location for some kind of outbreak and various factions could be involved (Blue Umbrella, The Connections, The local government forces, etc.), add an open world environment and player choice over which faction to join the possibilities are multitude here.

This is just pure speculation and fanfiction though so please don't anyone start rumors based off of what I am suggesting here xD. I do not work for Capcom but sometimes I think I should.