Resident Evil Requiem Leak Seals Leon's Fate, And It's Not Good

Resident Evil fans are constantly on standby for their favorite characters to return. Although Resident Evil 7 is an absolute classic and brings in the brand-new Ethan Winters to explore a different era of the RE mythos, Capcom couldn’t help but add the boulder-punching Chris Redfield into the mix. Similarly, Resident Evil Requiem might be gearing up for another fan-favorite homecoming.

According to a listing from GameStop, which reveals cosmetic bonuses for the deluxe edition, Leon is not in the mix. At least, as a playable character. Although this info is gleaned from official material, note potential spoilers below!

Resident Evil Requiem’s Second Character Isn’t Leon, Apparently

It’s A Relative Newcomer

Lady Dimitrescu and her daughters in Resident Evil Village.

Based on information from the deluxe edition, beyond Grace Ashcroft, who was already shown off as the main character of Resident Evil Requiem, it looks like the other central cast member will be Rose Winters, the daughter of Ethan Winters. The listing explains that there are “three exclusive outfits for Rosemary Winters,” as well as an additional bonus visor for Rose.

Rosemary “Rose” Winters was the star of the Resident Evil Village DLC “Shadows of Rose,” and featured heavily in the game’s ending. She’s become a big part of the Resident Evil mythos, and her latent powers could factor into the game’s action sequences. The timeline is a bit weird (Requiem takes place around 2028, whereas Shadows of Rose is in 2037), so we’ll have to wait and see how it all lines up chronologically.

Rose can potentially become a mentor for Grace, given that she has a lot of experience with the horrors of the Resident Evil-verse firsthand. While Leon would fill that role nicely, this would allow the newer cast members a time to shine, and continue the plot threads set up in Resident Evil 7-8.

The Leon Rumors Have Taken A Big Hit

Will He Still Show Up?

Although Leon Kennedy could still show up as a guest character (similar to how Chris Redfield bookended the newer series), the odds of him being a fully playable character are slim. With the deluxe edition sales underway, Capcom has made its move, and it looks like they’re backing Rose. Of course, any number of other characters could show up, including Ada Wong, as this series never fails to bust out cameos when they feel like it.

As we head into the final runway for Resident Evil Requiem, which is still due out on February 27, there are still myriad possibilities for where this series will end up.