Capcom has surprised fans by releasing the original three Resident Evil games on Steam, bringing the 1996 survival horror classic, its 1998 sequel, and 1999’s Nemesis-focused third entry to Valve’s storefront. Each title is priced at $9.99, though a launch sale currently cuts that in half, letting players grab the entire foundational trilogy for under $15. The releases are based on the modernized versions previously developed in partnership with GOG, which include quality-of-life improvements designed to make the decades-old titles run smoothly on contemporary hardware.
The updated editions come packed with enhancements that GOG introduced when it first revived the games for modern PCs a couple of years ago. These include improved DirectX rendering, new display options such as windowed mode and anti-aliasing, better cutscene timing, and support for multiple language localizations. Alongside the Resident Evil trilogy, the beloved Capcom RPG Breath of Fire IV has also made the jump from GOG to Steam as part of the same wave of releases.
However, the Steam versions come with a significant caveat that has already drawn sharp criticism from the community. Capcom has bundled all four titles with Enigma DRM, a third-party anti-piracy layer that is absent from the GOG editions. This is the same DRM technology that Capcom was forced to remove from the Resident Evil 4 Remake after reports surfaced that it was degrading game performance. Players are already noting that the Steam releases also lack cloud save support and achievements, features that many consider standard on the platform.
The DRM issue is compounded by reports of compatibility problems with the Steam Deck, Valve’s handheld gaming PC. Multiple users have stated that the games fail to run on the device, while the DRM-free GOG versions reportedly work without issue. Some players who have compared the two storefronts’ offerings side by side say the Steam editions are otherwise identical to what GOG sells, with the DRM being the only meaningful addition Capcom made before listing them.
Fan frustration is palpable in community discussions, with many pointing out the irony of saddling games that have been kept alive for nearly three decades by modders and preservationists with restrictive copy protection. “These games have survived for years thanks to the community and modding,” one player wrote, urging Capcom to strip out the DRM. Others have recommended that interested buyers simply purchase the titles on GOG instead to avoid the added complications.
The timing of the release is notable, coming shortly after the launch of the latest mainline entry in the franchise, Resident Evil: Requiem, which has been performing well with critics. Whether Capcom will respond to the backlash and remove the DRM as it did with the RE4 Remake remains to be seen, but for now, players looking for the smoothest retro Resident Evil experience on PC may want to shop around before clicking the purchase button.