Capcom’s Yoshiaki Hirabayashi has officially pitched a plan to remake the publisher’s landmark survival horror sequel Resident Evil 2, following up on a groundswell of fan interest and support for the project in recent weeks.
Hirabayashi served as producer for the recently released Resident Evil HD Remaster, and announced his plans for a follow-up this week via Capcom’s official Resident Evil page on Facebook.
“Hello RE fans! This is H again!” Hirabayashi stated via Facebook. “Right after the RE HD Remaster project was finished, I actually started putting together my ideas for this ‘RE2 Project’. So, I just brushed it up and went to see my boss to present the basic concept of the project already…”
Capcom has shown a keen interest in its legacy Resident Evil games following the successful launch of Resident Evil HD Remaster for the PlayStation 4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PCs in January. The company announced soon after that a similar remake of Resident Evil Zero is in the works, with a launch for consoles and PCs expected in 2016.
Resident Evil 2 has been a popular topic among franchise fans in recent weeks. One of the few games in the core Resident Evil series to never see a significantly upgraded re-release, Resident Evil 2 represents what many consider to be a high point for the survival horror genre at large.
Interest in Resident Evil 2 peaked this month when Capcom directly polled fans regarding a proposed remake.
“Enthusiasm for a Resident Evil 2 Remake is something we’ve been hearing from you over the years, and has drawn some recent attention in the media,” said members of Capcom’s R&D Division 1.
Specifically, the recent media attention has pertained to a group of particularly hardcore fans that have taken it on themselves to create their own remake of Resident Evil 2. The Unreal Engine 4-powered fan remake of Resident Evil 2 takes place from an over-the-shoulder perspective, and uses dynamic lighting to replicate the original game’s distinctive horror aesthetic.
To date, Capcom has not officially announced plans to produce a Resident Evil 2 remake.
