Resident Evil 2 director pitches cosy retirement game starring Leon with no zombies

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Legendary game director Hideki Kamiya has described his vision for a cosy Resident Evil sequel starring Leon S. Kennedy in his retirement, in what would be a bold new direction for the survival horror franchise.

Kamiya, who directed Leon's introduction to the series in Resident Evil 2, recently made headlines when he was filmed jokingly suggesting that there should be a "non-scary mode" for Resident Evil Requiem , where he could just enjoy the series' puzzles.

Now, Kamiya appears to have thought more about this idea — as he has pitched a distinctly non-scary sounding Resident Evil sequel on social media. Responding to a fan who asked if Kamiya could one day develop a new Resident Evil game that tied up the storylines of Leon and Claire Redfield, Kamiya suggested a concept that saw Leon enjoying his latter years with no zombies in sight.

Rather than harpooning mutant crocodiles, Leon would now spend his time quietly fishing for his dinner. Rather than finding Regenerators in the freezer, he would now fix home appliances for his elderly neighbours. And as for zombie canines? The only dog he'd see would be his loyal pet hound.

"If I made it, it'd turn into a game where retired Leon goes fishing in the countryside," Kamiya said of his cozy sequel idea, via a post on X/Twitter.

"Forages for wild veggies, bakes bread, walks the dog, tends a home garden, drives 50 km to the general store for supplies, invites old buddies over for a barbecue, fixes the neighbor grandma's oven at her request, sells homemade lemonade at the local festival... but that'd be cool, right...?"

I for one would absolutely play that game, but sadly, it's unlikely this is actually what's in store for Leon just yet. Resident Evil Requiem is still due to receive a big story expansion at some point in the future , and fans have a wishlist of things they'd like to see (Ada! Chris! A marriage reveal!) that do not include picking veggies. Still, who knows what Capcom is actually cooking up. And of course, all of this is separate to the recent reveal of Resident Evil: Veronica , which is set to launch at some point in 2027.

If you're still negotating Requiem's scarier moments, IGN's Resident Evil: Requiem guide will help you every step of the way through RE9. Take note of these key tips and tricks to stay safe, and focus on finding these important items early . Plus, our comprehensive walkthrough will make sure you don't miss a single Bobblehead or file as you try to survive from the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center all the way to Raccoon City.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social