One of the biggest mysteries in gaming right now isResident Evil 9. Capcom’s horror franchise has had a strong few years, and the promise ofResident Evil 9has a lot of fans eager for an official reveal. All that has been confirmed so far is thatRE7director Koshi Nakanishi is returning. Beyond that, only rumors and leaks have given insight into what might be in store.
Any rumor or leak needs to be taken with a heavy dose of salt, but if a recent claim holds true, thenRE9may be closer to launch than one might expect. A fresh leak has made the bold claim thatRE9will be announced this week, along with a 2026 launch date. The claim suggests that Capcom is eyeing a Q1release forRE9, and while it’s exciting that the game could potentially be kicking off the new year, the title may also have the difficult task of keeping its head above water onceGTA 6comes out.
If Resident Evil 9 Locks In a 2026 Release Date, GTA 6 Will Be Lurking Around the Corner
There are only a few days untilSummer Game Fest, an event that a lot ofResident Evilfans are suddenly looking forward to, thanks to these new rumors. Of course, only time will tell if the leak proves true or not, but a Q1 2026 release forRE9has some big pros and cons to consider.
GTA 6is set to launch on August 01, 2025.
RE9 in 2026 Has One Clear Upside
Beyond the obvious benefit of having to wait less than a year for the game to be here, the biggest upside to a Q1 2026 release is thatRE9can get a little bit of time in the spotlight beforeGTA 6. So far, the 2026 calendar is looking a little bit bare, and for good reason. Navigating the launch of a game in the yearGTA 6releaseshas to be incredibly daunting for developers, and releasing ahead of Rockstar’s highly-anticipated game may be the best bet to garner some success. As beneficial as that approach could be for Capcom, there seem to be more downsides overall.
No Matter What Quarter Capcom Chooses, RE9 Doesn’t Have Much Time to Breathe
Even ifRE9comes out several months beforeGTA 6’s May launch target, the horror title may still struggle. One of the biggestmysteries aboutGTA 6right now is its price point, and if the Rockstar game costs more than is typical, a lot of gamers may be saving money and not buying other games.RE9may get to launch ahead ofGTA 6, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe from feeling the effects of the latter’s massive hype.
On the flip side, ifRE9still proves to be hugely successful with its sales in Q1, the excitement may quickly fade, sinceGTA 6will be waiting on the horizon. It seems as though any game planning to launch in 2026 could find itself in a losing situation no matter what quarter is chosen. TheResident Evilfranchiseis incredibly popular, but theGTAfranchise is a completely different beast, especially with so much excitement already behind it.
After already being delayed once, there is still the chance thatGTA 6could be pushed back again.
RE9 Could Introduce a New Era of the Franchise
There have been plenty of rumors about the nextResident Evilgame, and claims thatRE9could reinvent the seriesin the same way thatRE7did are compelling. If Capcom brings forth a bold enough change,RE9could still likely draw a lot of attention beforeGTA 6takes center stage.
