The Resident Evil franchise may finally head to Capcom’s home country for a future entry, according to recent comments from veteran producer Masachika Kumazawa. While the definitive survival horror series has historically centered its narrative operations around American and European locales, the development team is actively considering a shift to a Japanese setting.
Kumazawa revealed that a domestic backdrop is a frequent topic of discussion within the studio. Because the primary development team is entirely based in Japan, the setting feels like a natural progression that the staff has independently conceptualized. Though the producer stopped short of confirming that the next mainline project will feature the location, he strongly indicated that Japan is bound to get the spotlight eventually.
Shifting the series to Japan would follow a major creative streak for the franchise. The series recently achieved massive critical and commercial success with Resident Evil Requiem, which launched on February 27, 2026, and went on to sell over seven million units. That entry successfully experimented with mechanics by introducing a dual-protagonist narrative featuring veteran DSO agent Leon S. Kennedy alongside a brand-new FBI analyst character, Grace Ashcroft, while also letting players freely swap between first- and third-person camera perspectives.
A Japanese setting would also mirror broader movements within the survival horror genre. Capcom’s longtime contemporary, Konami, has famously broken away from traditional American backdrops by setting its upcoming psychological horror title, Silent Hill f, in mid-century Japan. If Capcom follows suit, a domestic setting would provide a fresh aesthetic departure for Resident Evil while opening up new narrative avenues for either iconic legacy characters or entirely new protagonists.
