I’ve been pondering this for a while now. I really enjoyed the Mercenaries mode in both RE4 and its Remake (haven’t gotten around to trying it in RE5 yet), and I’ve sunk an embarrassing amount of time into Raid Mode from Revelations 1 and 2. My friends rave about Outbreak and Outbreak File 2, but I’m not too familiar with those titles myself. Capcom has a solid framework for multiplayer within the series, so I’m puzzled as to why they keep pushing hard for the PvP shooter route.
Games like Operation Raccoon City and Umbrella Corps received pretty mixed reviews, and people don’t seem to have grown fonder of them over time. I mean, seriously, Umbrella Corps was a disaster! To top it off, I’m not feeling too hopeful about Re:Verse either. It seems like they’re missing out on a huge opportunity considering the co-op gaming market is thriving right now, with games like Helldivers and Lethal Company flying off the shelves.
They wouldn’t even need to start from scratch – fans have been clamoring for an Outbreak remake for years, plus they could easily reuse assets from the more recent 2 and 3 remakes. I’d be thrilled with just a co-op mode in the Mercenaries mode of the RE4 Remake and would happily shell out for additional character and cosmetic DLCs. I just wish they’d focus on creating a multiplayer experience that’s not another PvP shooter!
8 Answers
I totally agree! A remake or even a remaster of Outbreak would be gold. But here’s a thought – they’ve been trying to squeeze into the PvP spotlight when they should be focused on co-op, especially since players are really into those experiences now, as shown by games like Helldivers and Lethal Company doing so well. Just look at the stats: Helldivers 2 hit 459K players, but now it’s down to 50K. Meanwhile, Counter-Strike 2 has been a consistent hit for over a decade. Capcom might see more money in PvP, but they’re ignoring that their roots are in co-op play.
Right? Plus, with the way they approach these projects, it’s so hit-or-miss whether they’ll even succeed at all.
I’m on board so long as it’s done right, but honestly, the last good implementation of RE characters in PvP was in Marvel vs. Capcom 3. I’m worried they can’t replicate that success elsewhere.
I’ve heard that Resident Evil is way more popular in the West than Japan. It seems like Capcom is chasing that Fortnite crowd, trying to tap into the Western market with these PvP titles.
You mention “if/when Re:Verse comes out” – but it’s been available for quite a bit and barely lasted a year! I’d argue even Resistance had a longer run.
Honestly, it’s such a classic Capcom move! They can create epic content but also seem to mess up big time with others.
Capcom’s been trying to cash in on that Call of Duty success for ages, hoping to replicate that level of popularity with these PvP modes.
They’ve approached PvP from different angles: trying to capture the Call of Duty crowd with games like ORC and Umbrella Corps, going for asymmetrical gameplay with Resistance, and most recently, jumping on the battle royale trend with RE:Verse. Just because they flopped doesn’t mean the reasoning for trying wasn’t valid.
The reality is pretty simple: Capcom wants money and ongoing titles they can monetize easily. PvP seems like an easy option since they skip worrying about AI enemies. However, the core of Resident Evil has always been PvE and coop gameplay. They should consider sticking to that formula and maybe adding light PvP elements to existing modes instead. Imagine a Mercenaries mode where teams compete against each other to kill zombies the fastest! That could be thrilling without losing the essence of the game.
That’s true! Chasing after ESport fame isn’t a good move. Capcom would need to invest heavily if they want to make PvP work, but it seems like they’re leaving it to smaller teams that can’t deliver the same quality. It’s frustrating because they want all the rewards without any real investment.