Veronica Remake and Leak Rumors Explained

Resident Evil has been on a tear lately, getting banger remakes and original stories alike, and this hot streak is expected to continue with Resident Evil Requiem. But while Capcom has been increasingly transparent about Requiem‘s features and development progress, much less is known about upcoming remake projects, such as the long-rumored Resident Evil Code: Veronica remake.

Although remakes are something of a contentious topic in the games industry, Capcom has done a fairly good job with the concept. In fact, it’s not too much of a stretch to say that the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4 represent the gold standard for video game reprisals, retaining the spirit of their iconic predecessors while making smart, contemporary changes. Resident Evil 3‘s remake was relatively less successful, but opinions have softened on it over the years. Certainly, any missteps with the RE3 remake haven’t done much to hamper excitement for something like a Resident Evil Code: Veronica remake, which would offer a contemporary spin on one of the franchise’s most unique and compelling stories.

Everything We Know About the Resident Evil Code: Veronica Remake

Code: Veronica’s Rumored Gameplay Changes

The Resident Evil Code: Veronica remake will reportedly feature the same over-the-shoulder perspective and gunplay as other RE remakes. According to Dusk Golem, the Code: Veronica remake is expected to be “[Resident Evil 4 remake] levels of good.”

Changes to Rockfort Island

The majority of the original Code: Veronica takes place on Rockfort Island, a remote, Umbrella-controlled landmass playing host to all manner of human rights violations and experiments, including those that lead to the devastating t-Virus. It was once home to a large community of Hispanic settlers, though its original residential purpose has been essentially erased by the time Code: Veronica starts.

It’s something of a character in and of itself, and it would appear that the Code: Veronica remake seeks to hammer that idea home. Dusk Golem’s reports indicate that the remake’s Rockfort Island will be a semi-open world with hub and spoke areas, perhaps not too dissimilar to the level design of Resident Evil Village. Apparently, Claire will have access to a motorcycle that will facilitate travel to different parts of the island.

Code: Veronica’s Leaked Story Changes

The original Resident Evil Code: Veronica follows Claire Redfield as she is kidnapped and imprisoned on Rockfort Island, while in the midst of her search for Chris. She faces off against Alfred Ashford and Albert Wesker, who is revealed to be alive following the events of RE1, and joins forces with a young man named Steve Burnside. Eventually, Chris Redfield joins the fray as well.

It seems like this core premise will be retained in the remake, but leaks suggest notable changes. For one thing, Steve Burnside’s characterization is said to be quite different: in the original Code: Veronica, his boyish crush on Claire manifests in odd, creepy, or otherwise uncomfortable behavior that isn’t treated as such in-game. This obviously hasn’t aged well, and wasn’t really cool at the time either, so the Code: Veronica remake will, understandably, tone him down a bit. He will still have feelings for Claire, but these will reportedly be communicated through more realistic, relatable, and well-adjusted behavior on his part.

Changes to Albert Wesker and the H.C.F.

More important than Burnside’s recharacterization are the reported changes to both Wesker and his paramilitary group, the H.C.F: they will play a bigger role. This makes sense, as Wesker and the H.C.F. wound up playing more important roles in later Resident Evil games. Further fleshing them out in Code: Veronica could bring the story more in line with those that came after it.

It’s not exactly clear how Capcom will be expanding the roles of Wesker and the H.C.F., but reports indicate at least two big changes to Wesker-centric plot beats:

• Chris’ confrontation with Wesker, wherein he gets pummeled by the latter, has been reimagined as an interactive boss fight rather than a cutscene.
• Wesker’s battle with Alexia Ashford has been cut.

Assuming this information is true, the Chris-Wesker fight may be a bit less one-sided; perhaps even its outcome will be slightly different. Potentially more significant is the alleged removal of Wesker’s fight with Alexia. This could be a sacrifice made at the altar of pacing or tone, but it could also suggest a diminishing of Alexia’s role in the remake.

Leaks and Rumors About Code: Veronica’s Development

Who Is Developing the Resident Evil Code: Veronica Remake?

According to leaks, the Code: Veronica remake will be helmed by Yasuhiro Anpo and Kazunori Kadoi, the duo responsible for the Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 2 remakes. Reports have also claimed that the remake was originally being developed by M-Two, an independent support studio, before being transferred to Capcom’s own Division 1 team.

Resident Evil Code: Veronica Release Date

Here’s the million-dollar question: when will this rumored Resident Evil Code: Veronica remake actually launch? Naturally, Capcom itself hasn’t commented on this, but Dusk Golem claims that development is going better than expected, and that the game could release before the Resident Evil 0 remake. Dusk Golem also claims that Capcom is targeting an early-2027 release window.

Again, none of this information should be taken as gospel, but the notion of a Code: Veronica remake is far from outlandish. Capcom has seen major success with its previous remakes, and considering how dated Code: Veronica is compared to, for instance, the original Resident Evil 4, there’s a lot of potential for considerable, exciting improvement.