Summary
Multiple sources ofResident Evil 9leak that longtime series veteran, Leon S. Kennedy, will be the main protagonist for the game. The ninth entry in theResident Evilfranchise hasn’t been announced or confirmed, yet there are still a number of rumors surrounding Capcom’s iconic survival horror franchise. With rumors swirling around the series, many fans are speculating about what to expect next, especially regarding some of its legacy characters.
Resident Evil Villagelaunched back in 2021, followed by the2023Resident Evil 4remake. Both games featured some of the series' most recognizable characters, albeit in different roles. InVillage, series mainstay Chris Redfield was a supporting character to Ethan Winters, the protagonist of the seventh mainline game,Biohazard. Players also got the chance to briefly play as him when Ethan finds himself unconscious. Meanwhile, theRE4remake puts players in the shoes of Leon S. Kennedy, who was promoted from rookie cop to secret agent. While Leon has had a number of different adventures sinceRE4in the game’s canonical timeline, it appears he could be the main playable character again inRE9.
The tweet comes from the Arabic Twitter account, @PRE_Alarabiya, an Arab community account forfans ofResident Evil. The account shares that they received this information from an episode of a Spanish podcast, the DryCast (it was originally wrongfully attributed to being shared by Dusk Golem, before this was later corrected). This latest leak suggested thatResident Evil 9will feature a playable Leon in the prologue of the game, with the story taking place in summer 2025, making the veteran character 48 years old by that time. While they were unsure why the prologue was mentioned only at first, a follow-up tweet claims that Leon will be the protagonist for the whole game, apologizing for any confusion that was caused.
Resident Evil 9 May Star Series Mainstay Leon S. Kennedy
The tweet also mentionsthe setting ofResident Evil 9, reiterating that it will be on a Southeast Asian island, which was previously leaked by another notable leaker, Dusk Golem. The tweet mentions that as the story progresses, the region may change. Considering the previous open-world leak, this might mean players will get to explore a variety of different islands as Leon.
The tweet doesn’t clarify if otherResident Evilprotagonistslike Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine will be playable alongside him, or if Leon will be the only protagonist in the game. Many were excited about the possibility of seeing an aged-up Leon, eager to see his evolution as an older, jaded man. Others are hoping that Leon isn’t the only character in the game, as characters like Jill have been out of the series' spotlight since5andRevelations. As with all rumors, fans should take these leaks with a grain of salt until Capcom officially revealsRE9.
Resident Evil
Resident Evil is a long-running survival horror franchise developed by Capcom. Spread across numerous mainline and spin-off entries, the series is known for it’s third and first-person action horror, zombie-related monsters and references, and challenging puzzles.
