New leaks hint at Dragon’s Dogma 2 not being the only open-world game from Capcom for a while. After a recent info dump by industry insider Dusk Golem, Capcom’s upcoming projects seem to be following a pattern of innovation and evolution.
Known for its iconic franchises like Resident Evil and Monster Hunter, the company seems to be delving into new territories while retaining the essence of these beloved series.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 Might’ve Set a Precedent for Resident Evil 9
Dusk Golem explains that Capcom tends to greenlight new initiatives in threes, often in close succession. This pattern has been observed in the past with games like Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil 2, and Devil May Cry 5, which were all greenlit closely together to use the full extent of the (at the time) new RE Engine.
(1/2) So here's a little tidbit I'll share, Capcom often will greenlight new initiatives in 3's closer together. Decent examples are RE7, RE:2 & DMCV were all Greenlit fairly close together to take advantage of their new RE Engine, & the idea to remake RE:2 inspired them to also
— AestheticGamer aka Dusk Golem (@AestheticGamer1) March 22, 2024
One interesting tidbit is that DD2 played a significant role in expanding the functionality of the RE Engine for open-world games. This is the same engine that Monster Hunter Wild and, notably, Resident Evil 9 are being built on. Dusk Golem’s exact words were:
Dragons Dogma 2 expanded RE Engine functionality for open world games, the two other games building on this tech is Monster Hunter Wild & Resident Evil 9.
They assure fans that, despite the company trying out new things for its franchises, Capcom remains committed to preserving the DNA of each series. Monster Hunter Wild and Resident Evil will stay true to the elements that make them unique while giving players a new experience.
Could RE9 Be a Full Open World Title?
According to what Dusk Golem said, it’s a possibility that RE9 may be closer in scope and gameplay to Dragon’s Dogma 2 than its predecessor, RE Village (8). The game could be a potential departure from the more linear, survival horror experience of previous Resident Evil titles towards a more expansive, open-world approach.
But this is just a possibility. The text doesn’t necessarily indicate that the game will be open-world. It says that the game is being built on the same updated RE Engine.
We might just get another linear game, or it could be a semi-open world like Resident Evil Village, which was well-received by the public. It’s sitting at an “overwhelmingly positive” rating on Steam currently, with over 70k reviews—95% of them being positive. And that’s just Steam.
Considering how DD2 is currently being received, the community is skeptical about how an open world RE game could turn out. DD2 is plagued with stutters and lags, even when running the game on high-end PCs.
It’s important to note that the upcoming MH title, Monster Hunter Wilds, is already confirmed to be a full-blown open-world game.
If we’re getting RE9 made on the same engine, and we read into Dusk Golem’s info about games being released in 3’s, maybe we will actually get an open-world RE title.
What do you prefer: an open-world RE, a semi-open-world like Village, or a classic linear style? Let us know in the comments below!
