Where Was Leon? Examining the Agent‘s Absence in Resident Evil Village
Die-hard Resident Evil fans across the globe shared a common reaction upon completing last year‘s chilling RE: Village: "That was incredible…but where the hell was Leon Kennedy?" As one of survival horror gaming‘s most dashing leads, Leon‘s absence felt glaring for many. Today, we‘ll explore the intriguing reasons behind Capcom‘s decision to leave the fan favorite on the sidelines, and whether RE‘s legendary gunslinger could return in the future.
The Eastern European Setting Made Leon‘s Inclusion Tricky
Resident Evil: Village broke bold new ground for the storied franchise, abandoning the familiar towns and cities of past entries for a trek into the dim mountain passes and eccentric dwellings of an fictional Eastern Euro nation. While this unique setting won praise for its fresh scares and creative artistic design, it did present challenges for seamlessly integrating core characters like Leon Kennedy into the plot.
As a special agent devoted to eradicating bioterrorism threats within the United States, Leon lacks jurisdictional authority in foreign nations. While some fans called for cheeky plot devices like a special ops rescue mission or European vacation excuse, Capcom likely recognized these as hollow gimmicks that would stretch narrative believability to its breaking point.
Ultimately, Village‘s isolated backdrop — cutoff from outside support — drove its tense, high-stakes atmosphere; shoehorning series heroes into the locale could have shattered that isolation and immersion. Sometimes giving a storyline room to breathe without cameos serves the gamer most.
Spacing Out Leon‘s Appearances Carefully
Of course, considering Leon‘s immense popularity amongst fans, we must also examine intentional pacing of the character from Capcom‘s perspective. As the breakout hero of Resident Evil 2 and 4, Leon rides an unmatched wave of hype; this presents issues when managing player expectations.
Neither developers or audiences benefit when iconic personalities dominate every installment. Striking a balance allows once-beloved characters to rest when appropriate to the latest tale, while building anticipation for their inevitable, triumphant returns.
Evidence indicates Capcom is consciously spacing Leon‘s appearances. Per the graph below, including the agent in 57% of mainline entries would have exhausted player excitement. From a story flow standpoint, keeping Leon in the wings this time maintains his mystique as fans await his next guts-and-glory adventure.
This also introduces newcomer characters like Ethan Winters crucial room to grow within the Resident Evil universe. As gaming evolves, so too must its heroes.
Hints That Leon‘s Being Saved for an RE4 Remake Blockbuster
Of course, die-hard realists will rightly question whether Leon was truly held back just for creative pacing alone. And this skepticism has merit, given substantial rumors of an impending Resident Evil 4 remake soon entering development.
RE2 and RE3 remakes dominated critics’ lists and sales charts in recent years, proving re-engineered classics an irresistible draw for veteran fans and newcomers alike. RE4 remains one of most beloved entries ever; a full-scale reimagining could drive the highest sales and engagement of any survival horror release to date.
Yet beyond revitalizing outdated gameplay, a remake enables restored focus on one of Leon Kennedy‘s most thrilling crusades. Imagining an updated, expansive vision of action-horror perfection with today‘s photorealistic visuals has minds racing.
What better grand stage for Leon‘s return than within the epic, interactive blockbuster he was born to star in? Holding the icon back from RE: Village begins laying the groundwork for a true hero‘s homecoming.
DLC Hopes Still Alive
While Resident Evil: Village‘s core campaign omitted Kennedy, we cannot fully rule out newcomer Ethan Winters needing backup against future threats. Considerable speculation continues around potential story-driven DLC releases down the road.
Series producer Peter Fabiano stirred the pot himself, telling Japanese press:
“We like hearing players say that they want more and would buy [another chapter], so if that’s really the conversation, then of course we would consider making more DLC.”
If Ethan returns to tie up loose ends, Leon riding shotgun fits like a leather glove. Their contrasting personalities and tactics could combine for laugh-out-loud moments between firefights. Kennedy‘s recent sidekick partner Chris Redfield even name-dropped Ethan when uncovering clues around the Village; fate may drive them together as allies before long.
Once again, Leon lurks just out of frame, awaiting his cue. Given how much mileage modern games get from post-release content updates, here’s betting crafty old Capcom has plans to unleash the master zombie hunter upon us when the timing proves most fortuitous.
Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
At the end of the night, it seems Capcom opted to bench Leon primarily in service of building anticipation amongst his legions of loyal supporters. Regardless of whether Village‘s distinct locale challenged his incorporation, or if developers are strategically stacking chips for an RE4 remake jackpot, fans can take solace that Leon Kennedy lives to fight another day.
And when that day comes, after a hiatus spent tracking leads enshrouded in mystery, gamers will welcome the brave special agent back with open arms. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and an RE world without Leon Kennedy loses some luster. Though the wait continues, his placeholder in the spotlight shall persist indefinitely.
What about you? Do you think Capcom made the right call sitting Leon out of this round, or should he have found a way to featured in Resident Evil: Village regardless? And what are your theories on the heavily-rumored RE4 remake? Sound off with your perspectives in the comments!
