 |
| Grace Ashcroft from Resident Evil Requiem is shown |
With the launch of Resident Evil Requiem still over a week away, the internet is flooded with story spoilers and footage. While Capcom issues legal warnings, the series' iconic former director is calling for a much harsher brand of justice.
The streets of the latest nightmare may not be safe for another week, but the secrets of Resident Evil Requiem are already wandering the wilds of the internet. More than seven days before its official release, the highly anticipated survival horror title has fallen victim to a massive wave of leaks, forcing publisher Capcom into damage control mode and provoking a furious, fire-and-brimstone response from a legendary, if controversial, figure from the series’ past.
For fans desperate to go in dark, social media has become a minefield. Key character fates, plot twists, and chilling finales have been splashed across X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and forums, often without warning. The situation escalated this week when a Twitch streamer began broadcasting footage from an early copy of the Nintendo Switch 2 port of the game.
In an official statement posted to the official Resident Evil X account, Capcom appealed to the community’s conscience while brandishing its legal authority.
X 上的 Resident Evil：“A message to the Resident Evil community...”
The statement, while polite in its request to refrain from posting spoilers, serves as a clear threat. The publisher is actively pursuing DMCA takedowns and copyright strikes against users who upload screenshots and video footage before the official February 27th release date. This aggressive legal posture is standard practice for protecting embargoes, but in the age of physical media, it’s a game of whack-a-mole against a hydra of leakers.
The Director’s Cut: Kamiya’s “Curse”
But while Capcom relies on copyright law, one of the architects of the franchise's golden age is advocating for a punishment that feels ripped straight from one of his games.
Hideki Kamiya, the visionary director behind the original Resident Evil 2 (known in Japan as Biohazard 2) and the creator of Devil May Cry, has re-emerged on social media with a diatribe that has left even his most ardent followers stunned. Known for his famously combative and unfiltered presence online—where he is as likely to block a fan as he is to debate them—Kamiya’s latest salvo is particularly visceral.
In the machine-translated text of his post, Kamiya doesn't just criticize the leakers; he eviscerates them. Reflecting on a similar incident with the original Biohazard 2, where a magazine leaked its climax, he calls the act of leaking Resident Evil Requiem “a detestable act that destroys everyone's happiness.” His words carry the weight of a man who has seen his art spoiled before and feels the wound just as fresh.
His proposed sentence for the guilty parties? Nothing as merciful as a fine. Kamiya declares the act “deserves a thousand deaths.” In a parting shot that has become the talk of the community, he curses them, saying, “May you be cursed to never play games again.”
A History of Hyperbole, A Community Divided
It’s important to remember that Kamiya, who left Capcom years ago to found PlatinumGames, is not speaking on behalf of the company. His outburst is the raw, emotional reaction of a creator who poured “utmost effort” into his work, only to see the reveal of its secrets controlled by strangers seeking “selfish satisfaction.”
While his “thousand deaths” comment is clearly hyperbolic, it has sparked a fierce debate online. On one hand, you have players and collectors who argue that owning a physical disc—whether obtained through a broken street date or a retail error—grants them a right to discuss their experience. Reddit communities, for example, often rely on a honor system of censored text and spoiler tags, allowing fans to choose their level of exposure.
On the other hand, Kamiya and his supporters argue that the right to play does not supersede the right of thousands of other fans to experience the story as intended, and the rights of the creators to have their narrative reveals land with the impact they designed.
The Future is Digital? A Bitter Pill for Collectors
As Capcom continues its futile battle against the tide of spoilers, the incident reignites a major industry question: Is the physical copy becoming a liability?
The prospect of stricter street dates or even limiting highly anticipated titles to digital-only distribution seems like the only foolproof way to prevent early leaks. However, as the recent uproar over a (now refuted) rumor regarding GTA 6 potentially axing a physical release shows, the market for boxed copies remains fiercely loyal. Collectors who pre-order pricey deluxe editions for the steelbooks, art cards, and physical discs are not going to willingly give them up without a fight.
For now, the damage is done. Resident Evil Requiem’s darkest secrets are out in the light. Whether you agree with Hideki Kamiya’s curse or the "buyer's rights" argument, one thing is certain: the war between creators and leakers is far from over, and the next big scare might come with a side of legal papers—or a thousand deaths.
 |
| Hideki Kamiya responds to Resident Requiem leaks |