Resident Evil Village was revealed earlier last month, but only a vague release window was provided, specifying its release sometime in the year 2021. Given past patterns regarding revelation trailers and release dates for Resident Evil games in the first quarters, there is a strong possibility that Resident Evil 8 may break with the norms and release at a later date.
Resident Evil games traditionally lean towards first quarter release dates, though it is not always the case, and Resident Evil 8 may defy these norms. Resident Evil 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, Code Veronica, Revelations 1 and 2, Resident Evil 1, 2 and 3 Remakes all released within the first quarters of their release years, or very close to it anyway. The exception is Resident Evil 3 Remake’s release date, which fell slightly beyond the first quarter, releasing at the start of April.
Previous Resident Evil Releases
The other Resident Evil games which did not release in the first quarter of the year all comprised fall releases in the late-year, which includes the original Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Resident Evil 0, and Resident Evil 6. The key takeaway here is that nearly all of Resident Evil’s main games release early in the year, with a few rare exceptions which comprise fall release dates.
Given that the first quarter of 2021 is not far off, at just 6 months away approximately, it would make sense for Capcom to also reveal the release date at this stage if Resident Evil 8 was going to fall within a first quarter period. While it is still statistically possible for a first quarter release, based on the release dates of previous games, the current conditions certainly make it seem that Resident Evil 8 is still a longer ways off, especially with COVID disrupting all major industries around the world, including gaming.
Also, in viewing the last few iterations of Resident Evil games, specifically Resident Evil 4 through 7, it is important to note that nearly all of the reveal trailers were shown mid-year. More importantly, the trailers included release dates in them for a first-quarter release date, or winter release. The only exception was Resident Evil 5, which did not include a release date in its revelation trailer.
Resident Evil 8 fits some of the common pattern, having been revealed at the mid-year point, just recently. But it only vaguely states 2021 as its release window, without a date or even a season. If Capcom seemed confident about a first-quarter release in 2021, based on the timeline and content of previous trailer revelations of Resident Evil games, it would have seemed reasonable to expect Resident Evil 8’s trailer to include a more specific release window. On the other hand, it’s also typically held from a game’s initial showing with some exceptions.
Resident Evil 7’s original announcement trailer came out around the same time of year that Resident Evil 8 was revealed during this year. But Resident Evil 7’s trailer specified a release date of January 24, 2017, about half a year out. If Resident Evil 8 was slated for a first quarter release date, it seems that the timing of its reveal trailer would have been fitting to state it as so.
This could be a strong speculation that Resident Evil 8 will break common tradition and release late in 2021, rather than the first quarter. It is important to note that none of the main Resident Evil games, such as those listed above, have released in the mid-year, or summertime, so this timeframe seems unlikely.
Chris Redfield’s controversial role in the Resident Evil 8’s trailer also seemingly created more questions than answers around his aggressive behavior, and whether he will potentially become a villain. In the trailer, it is believed that Chris Redfield is shown murdering Mia, the wife of Ethan. It seems likely that gameplay-wise, Capcom still has a ways to go in finishing the development of the game, but has cemented much buzz and attention over the controversy of its story-direction, which was the focus of the trailer. This will certainly keep fans speculating and theorizing for months to come.
Resident Evil 8 trailer
This would seem to be a good strategy on Capcom’s part to focus Resident Evil 8’s revelation trailer on controversial focal points of its storyline and Resident Evil 8’s characters to keep attention fixated and conversations fresh regarding this hot title. In addition to the controversies revolving around Chris Redfield and his affiliation with the mysterious Blue Umbrella, the trailer is also drawing much attention to its other unique stand-outs which have fostered much questions and fan-theories. This includes confirmation of the original Umbrella’s presence in the game, werewolves, what appears to be a potential witch, and a much more folklorian-horror aesthetic.
While the trailer included a lot of mysterious story-content, there was not much gameplay content. All these questions and mysteries fans are now attempting to digest from the trailer also suggest, again, that Resident Evil 8’s development and final release still have a ways to go and it is likely to deviate from the common first-quarter release dates for Resident Evil games. A late 2021 release date seems more likely given the current cues and deviations from past patterns between trailers and release dates.
Also, given the timing of the release of the next-gen consoles in late-2020, Capcom may be wanting to wait a little longer for these consoles to establish themselves and replace previous-generation consoles as more gamers make the switch. Given the current evidence that Resident Evil 8 will probably only be released on next-generation consoles, it may not be a wise decision to release such a a long established title and franchise too close to the debut of the new consoles, since many fans may not yet make the switch to next-generation consoles right away.
However, there is also an argument to be made for the possibility that Resident Evil 8 could still release in early 2021, given that the Resident Evil 3 Remake trailer-reveal was not released until last December, just four months before its final release approximately. Due to the events of COVID, it is entirely possible that Capcom may not feel entirely confident that they can meet an early-2021 deadline and may not want to commit themselves to such an obligation, even if they are hopefully aiming for that release period.
However, this does not necessarily mean they are not aiming for that release window, and if they are not set back by COVID or other circumstances, there is still plenty of time to make an announcement for an early-2021 release date. There was much speculation that Resident Evil 3 would be delayed to some capacity due to COVID, but they were able to persist and even get hard copies of the game onto shelves in time for release. These are unpredictable times, and Capcom may just be holding back on announcing a release date for Resident Evil 8 until they can more properly gauge the waters of the current climate.
Resident Evil 8 Village is set to release in 2021 for the PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
