After months of speculation, a new trailer at The Game Awards 2025 finally confirmed the Resident Evil Requiem inclusion that everyone's been waiting for. Months of rumors and reported leaks have been pointing toward the return of Leon S. Kennedy until the new game, but despite repeated showcases of the game, Capcom was refusing to reveal any suggestion of his comeback.
The new Resident Evil Requiem trailer at The Game Awards 2025 confirmed Leon S. Kennedy's return, with the iconic series protagonist set to share the lead with new character Grace Ashcroft. Leon makes a dramatic entrance in the trailer before showing up to save Grace, shooting an attacking zombie in the head. At the end of the trailer, he goes all in on classic Resident Evil action, kicking one zombie and slamming a chainsaw into another's chest.
Leon S. Kennedy Is Returning In Resident Evil Requiem
The Legend Is Back
Despite not appearing in the original Resident Evil, Leon S. Kennedy has managed to become the most iconic character in the series over time. His starring turn in Resident Evil 2 won over plenty of fans, but Resident Evil 4 is the game that secured his place as an icon.
Resident Evil Requiem's dual protagonist approach emphasizes a split in gameplay styles. Grace Ashcroft segments allow it to embrace the tension of true survival horror, while bringing in Leon sets up the over-the-top action that Resident Evil 4 introduced to the series. Both types of gameplay have their appeal, so splitting the difference could very well set Resident Evil Requiem up for success.
The Cat Is Finally Out Of The Bag
We Can All Move On Now
The real danger for Resident Evil Requiem is Leon's ability to steal the spotlight, and making sure Grace's presence doesn't get overwhelmed could be a challenge for Capcom. The marketing cycle, however, seems promising in that regard, as Capcom did successfully commit to holding off on Leon's reveal for months.
Resident Evil has been on a hot streak recently, so the odds that Requiem is another winner seem reasonably high. With Leon on board, it's primed to be a market success at minimum.
Now that The Game Awards 2025 let the cat out of the bag, I'm sure we can expect plenty more looks at Leon's involvement ahead of Resident Evil Requiem's release next year. If you haven't played the other Leon games until now, you've only got a few months left, so you might want to get moving on some very fun homework.
