Resident Evil Requiem has only been out for a week, and it’s already a massive success. With over five million copies sold in just five days and a peak of 344,214 concurrent players on Steam, Capcom’s latest survival horror entry is dominating the conversation. But as fans digest every terrifying moment of Grace Ashcroft’s story, attention is already turning to what comes next—and the rumors are, frankly, disappointing.
The Rumor: Leon, Not Alyssa
According to reliable Resident Evil insider Dusk Golem (aka AestheticGamer), Capcom has a story DLC for Requiem in an “advanced stage of development”. Initially, the speculation centered on a playable version of Alyssa Ashcroft, Grace’s mother and a fan-favorite character from the Resident Evil Outbreak games. Dusk Golem confirmed that a fully playable version of Alyssa exists, having been cut from the base game.
However, recent whispers suggest the plan has shifted. The insider now reports that the DLC will instead feature Leon S. Kennedy, with material apparently cut from Leon’s portion of the main campaign being repurposed for the expansion. This would reportedly include scrapped sequences set in Raccoon City and potentially even the Spencer Mansion.
Why This Feels Like a Missed Opportunity
Don’t get me wrong: I love Leon. His arc in Resident Evil Requiem is one of the game’s emotional high points, depicting a battle-hardened, world-weary version of the character we’ve followed for decades. But that’s precisely the problem—his story felt complete.
Requiem gives Leon a powerful, seemingly definitive send-off. Bringing him back for DLC risks undermining that emotional closure. It feels like fan service for its own sake, rather than a meaningful expansion of the world.
Alyssa Ashcroft, on the other hand, represents untapped potential. Her presence looms large over Requiem—her death is the inciting incident that drives Grace’s entire journey. A prequel DLC exploring Alyssa’s final days, her investigation, and her connection to the game’s central mysteries would add tremendous depth to the main narrative. It would be the Resident Evil equivalent of The Last of Us: Left Behind—a story that enriches the original by showing us what we never saw.
As one fan noted, a DLC set in the past could also deliver the underwater exploration and survival challenge modes that the community craves. Alyssa deserves her moment.
The Bigger Picture
According to Dusk Golem, the DLC is being positioned to fill the gap between Requiem and the upcoming remakes of Resident Evil Code: Veronica (rumored for 2027) and Resident Evil Zero (2028) . Capcom reportedly has ambitious plans, potentially aiming for annual releases through 2030, including Resident Evil 10 as early as 2029.
A Requiem expansion also aligns with Capcom’s recent pattern: every mainline entry since Resident Evil 7 (except the RE3 Remake) has received post-launch content. Director Koshi Nakanishi previously teased that there would be “stuff to keep people playing RE9 long after the main story was complete”.
Also, Read
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Hope Remains
Dusk Golem emphasizes that these are rumors, not confirmations. The existence of a playable Alyssa in the game’s files suggests she could still feature—perhaps alongside Leon, or in a separate mode like a revived Mercenaries.
For now, I’m holding onto hope that Capcom will recognize the value in exploring the untold story of Alyssa Ashcroft. Leon is a legend, but Requiem already gave him a perfect ending. Sometimes the most interesting stories are the ones we haven’t heard yet.
Resident Evil Requiem is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2.