Resident Evil Requiem (RE9) had an entire chapter cut before launch. Check out why the developers decided to exclude that content and how they made RE9 challenging, yet beginner-friendly.
Resident Evil Requiem (RE9) Cut Chapter Revealed
A Necessary Decision To Make the Game Better
Resident Evil Requiem (RE9) director Koshi Nakanishi revealed that the survival horror title had a "Phantom Chapter 2" that was excluded before its release. In an interview with Defaminicogamer on April 28, he stated that finalizing a game requires "intense choices" to be complete.
Nakanishi said that it is quite common for entire chapters to be cut during development, noting a similar instance with Resident Evil 7 (RE7). "I've mentioned in interviews and elsewhere that Resident Evil 7 originally had a 'Chapter 2' that was scrapped during development. It was the scene where you move from the outbuilding to the main house," he explained.
The director also elaborated on how the whole process goes, comparing it to "editing text or video." Nakanishi noted that effective editing requires stripping away the excess, suggesting that the overall quality of a project frequently improves when you have the discipline to cut things out.
He acknowledged that while cutting content can be frustrating for the developers who worked hard on it, joking that "they might get angry." Nakanishi believes that if the removal betters the game, everyone eventually understands the decision.
Making RE9 Challenging, But Casual-Friendly
The RE9 lead framed the cutting of content as a crucial step in fulfilling Capcom’s creative vision for the horror sequel. "When I first became involved with Resident Evil, I was told, 'Biohazard (Resident Evil) must look challenging, yet even casual players who don't usually play games at all must be able to understand it," he said.
Nakanishi pointed out that even with a complex story, the atmosphere helps players "get a sense of understanding," whereas adding extra content to explain the plot often turns the experience into a "hassle."
He shared a similar sentiment regarding gameplay, noting that when developers try to incorporate too many disparate mechanics, the game often becomes overcomplicated and "unfriendly" to the player.
"Even if we've worked hard to create something, if we decide that it would be easier to grasp without it, we choose to cut it out," Nakanishi stated.
During the interview, the developers shared insights into Ada Wong’s whereabouts and dropped hints regarding the game's upcoming DLC. While a firm release date remains unconfirmed, Nakanishi’s urge for fans to finish the main story before the end of Japan’s Golden Week suggests the new content could arrive shortly after the first week of May.
Resident Evil Requiem (RE9) is now available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. To stay up to date with the latest information about the game, check out our article below.
