Capcom has slowly been making its way through the vast catalog of Resident Evil games and remaking them, one by one. We've had phenomenal remakes of Resident Evil 2, 3, and 4, alongside the releases of some of the greatest games in the entire series, which is a pretty phenomenal feat. Naturally, one would assume that Capcom's dedication to building upon these iconic experiences wouldn't end with Leon Kennedy's escapades in Valdelobos.
That would mean that, alongside older titles, Capcom will eventually get around to remaking Resident Evil 5. However, fans have remained somewhat divisive about the heavily rumored Resident Evil 5 remake, and it isn't hard to see why. There's one particular issue with a remake of RE5 that's becoming increasingly prominent the more Capcom announces newer titles in the series, and it's tearing the community apart, at least figuratively anyway.
One of the main concerns fans have around a Resident Evil 5 remake is that it won't feature split-screen co-op, a feature that practically defined the original game. This isn't simply due to a shift in the mechanic's popularity, although a lot of AAA titles have abandoned it in recent years, but rather as a direct consequence of how difficult it is to implement. Specifically, it is a taxing endeavor to run two instances of the same graphically intensive game simultaneously on one device.
Considering how technically impressive each Resident Evil remake has been, it isn't far-fetched to imagine that Capcom would struggle to implement split-screen. Naturally, to those who've loved the game since it first came out, split-screen feels like a necessity. The original RE5 experience and its intense scares simply won't be as effective playing online as they were when sat side by side with a friend or sibling on a couch.
Of course, some believe it doesn't really need it, or that shipping without it would be fine, especially as online co-op has become so much more prevalent. Additionally, a remake doesn't necessarily need to carry over every aspect, especially if they don't really fit into the modern landscape of game design. Considering how difficult it would be to properly implement it, its inclusion could delay a potential release date even further, and that leads to another major concern regarding when Resident Evil 5 will even release.
It has become a genuine concern that Resident Evil 5 simply won't come out any time soon. On Reddit, fans are already speculating that a RE5 remake won't release until 2031, and it's understandable why. Capcom has just revealed a complete remake of Resident Evil - Code: Veronica, slated to release in 2027, and there's a very good chance that the next mainline game will release in 2031, the year that marks the series' 35th anniversary.
Resident Evil 7 launched in 2017, and Village followed four years later in 2021. It then took a further 5 years for Resident Evil 9 to come out, which is roughly how long it'll be between now and 2031. Even if Capcom does manage to squeeze another remake in before Resident Evil 10's release date, there are several titles released long before RE5 that it could choose from, including a complete remake of the original game.
Sure, it is looking like Resident Evil 5 will be quite a while away, but at least we're still getting Resident Evil Veronica very soon. It will help bridge the gap a little and give fans something to do as they continue to wait for the inevitable release of Resident Evil 5, whenever that may be. However, considering RE4's remake was released over three years ago, perhaps Capcom should really start announcing something about Resident Evil 5's remake soon, or, at the very least, do a little more than vague hints on social media.
