Ahead of Resident Evil 9, Capcom’s leading survival horror franchise is facing a crossroads. Over the past few years, Resident Evil has not only reinvented itself, but also raised the bar on remakes, with Resident Evil 4 Remake perhaps being the pinnacle of this development strategy. It’s this tension between the remakes and the decidedly distinct mainline entries that will likely define Capcom’s approach to Resident Evil 9.
Ideally, the developer will manage to synthesize the strengths of the remakes and the modern “Winters saga” games, leading to an entirely new, yet familiar experience in Resident Evil 9. Of course, game development is rarely so simple, and this tenet is exemplified by Resident Evil 9‘s rumored reset back in 2021. According to trusted leaker DuskGolem (AKA AestheticGamer) on Twitter, RE9 was initially envisioned as an open-world multiplayer game starring Leon Kennedy and Jill Valentine, meant to be more or less the opposite of Resident Evil 7‘s linear, atmospheric scares. This decision was reportedly reversed in 2021, after Capcom realized the financial success of RE7 following its launch window. Thus, development on Resident Evil 9 allegedly restarted four years ago, muddying the waters with respect to much of the intel revealed through leaks and rumors, and painting an ever more uncertain picture of this next chapter in the Resident Evil story.
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Hopefully, Jill Valentine Survived Resident Evil 9’s Reported Development Reset
Jill’s Role in Resident Evil 9 Is Not Confirmed
Of course, virtually nothing has actually been confirmed about Resident Evil 9—the game’s biggest talking points have all stemmed from leaks, rumors, and speculation. But considering Dusk Golem’s track record, it’s fair to take their RE9 claims seriously, even if a grain of salt is still recommended. In other words, Dusk Golem’s claims about Resident Evil 9‘s principal cast, alongside the game’s 2021 development reset, have credence.
Part of Dusk Golem’s approach to leaking, whether intentional or not, is vagueness, making it difficult to ascertain a complete image of an upcoming game. One such instance of this can be observed in their claims about Resident Evil 9‘s reset: Dusk Golem describes the pre-reset RE9 as starring Leon and Jill as the protagonists, but only names Leon as the main character when discussing the current, presumably final, version of the game. Dusk Golem has not explicitly stated that Jill has been excised from RE9, nor has any other source, but the fact remains: she is unaccounted for following this rumored development reshuffle.
Jill Valentine Deserves To Come Back for Resident Evil 9
Jill Valentine is the subject of much discussion within the Resident Evil fanbase. Introduced alongside Chris Redfield in the series’ very first entry, Jill went on to play leading roles in Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil Revelations, while also featuring prominently in Resident Evil 5. But her current status is more or less unknown: she’s alive, but has been absent from the current goings-on of Umbrella and the BSAA, even as her longtime friend and partner Chris Redfield appears to have remained active.
It’s a bit odd that, despite being one of Resident Evil‘s most recognizable heroes, Jill has been MIA in the franchise’s modern outings. She’s always been a fan favorite, and the Resident Evil 3 Remake helped her achieve more relevance with contemporary players, so it simply makes sense to check in on her in Resident Evil 9, whatever the game winds up looking like.