Why is Leon Not in Resident Evil Village?
Change of Setting Outside Leon‘s Jurisdiction
The most straightforward reason for Leon Kennedy‘s absence in Resident Evil Village ties back to the shift in location for this sequel. Whereas recent series entries have taken place in well-known settings around North America, Village moves the action to a fictional rural European village.
As an American government agent focused on combating domestic bioterrorism threats, it‘s outside of Leon‘s usual purview to be investigating incidents overseas. While early games did sometimes deploy Leon abroad on occasions, Village purposefully crafts a isolated, Old World mood that clashed with trotting out familiar heroes.
Emphasis on New Characters and Story Dynamics
Resident Evil Village also continues the franchise‘s gradual efforts to establish a new generation of protagonists and side characters. Joining lead Ethan Winters this time are the towering villain Lady Dimitrescu and her daughters, twisted mother figure Miranda, the hulking Heisenberg, and misshapen killer Moreau.
There are certainly callbacks to franchise lore and favorites like steady veteran Chris Redfield. But the focus remains squarely on advancing the self-contained Winters family drama amidst a fresh batch of monstrosities. After his extensive history with bioweapons and conspiracies, Leon might unintentionally divert attention from these new dynamics Capcom sought to nurture.
Saving Leon for a Dedicated Appearance
Leon Kennedy arguably remains the most popular Resident Evil hero after Jill Valentine herself. As such, it‘s possible Capcom specifically wanted to save Leon for a future installment where he plays a major role again. Rather than stick him into Village as a cameo or tertiary character, he may be being reserved for a remake of Resident Evil 4 or even Resident Evil 9.
Given how highly anticipated Leon‘s return would be after a fairly lengthy absence from the main game series, Capcom likely wants to maximize the splash when it does happen. Imagine the buzz of a surprise reveal teasing Leon‘s comeback as the lead in a Resident Evil 4 remake! Holding Leon out now preserves interest for that special moment down the road.
The Power of Scarcity for Iconic Characters
Finally, from a commercial perspective, Capcom may also recognize the appeal of limiting consumer access to iconic faces like Leon. By keeping his cameos and guest roles rare in between solo outings, his occasional appearances automatically feel like bigger events for fans.
It builds anticipation for the day when Leon finally drops back in with guns blazing. After Village seemed to "hide" him for a bit, the excitement when he ultimately returns could be immense thanks to a pent-up demand during his absence. That flavor of manufactured scarcity and carefully paced re-releases drives hype cycles forCrossposting everything from Nintendo characters to Supreme drops. Don‘t be shocked if Capcom is similarly strategic about bringing back Leon in the years ahead.
