Resident Evil Requiem director Koshi Nakanishi has revealed that Capcom removed a full chapter from the game before it shipped, describing the decision as part of a disciplined editing process that prioritizes the overall player experience over preserving every piece of content the team creates.
In a recent interview with Japanese outlet Denfaminicogamer, Nakanishi explained that cutting substantial chunks of content is a routine part of how he approaches game development. He drew a parallel to his work on Resident Evil 7, which also lost a chapter — specifically a sequence bridging the outbuilding and main house — during production. According to Eurogamer, Nakanishi compared the process to editing video footage, noting that laying out all the material and then trimming anything that disrupts pacing or clarity almost always produces a stronger final product. “Subtraction really is crucial,” he said.
While Nakanishi did not specify what the removed Requiem chapter contained, he acknowledged that cutting content can be painful for the developers who built it. Still, he maintained that once the finished product demonstrates the improvement, the team comes around. He emphasized that every decision ultimately hinges on whether the intended user experience is being delivered, a philosophy he adopted early in his tenure on the Resident Evil franchise.
The same interview also shed light on an upcoming combat-focused minigame headed to Requiem. Nakanishi described it as being built around the battle mechanics from the main campaign and aimed at players hungry for more action after the credits roll. Producer Masato Kumazawa confirmed, as reported by GameSpot, that the mode will only unlock once players have completed the story at least once. Nakanishi playfully urged fans to “sharpen your tomahawk and wait.”
Requiem’s campaign splits its gameplay between two protagonists: Grace Ashcroft’s segments lean into classic survival-horror stealth, while Leon S. Kennedy’s missions channel the more action-oriented style of recent entries like the Resident Evil 4 remake. A first playthrough typically runs between 11 and 14 hours, and Capcom has also confirmed that new story DLC is in development, though no release window has been announced.
The game has already proven to be a major commercial success for Capcom, moving over seven million copies since its February launch and establishing itself as one of the best-selling entries in the long-running franchise. With a minigame and story expansion on the horizon, Capcom appears intent on keeping Requiem in the spotlight for the foreseeable future.