Capcom developer reveals Resident Evil 7 development pivot

Miguel Corti, a former senior manager of global production at Capcom, has shared details regarding the tumultuous development process of Resident Evil 7. According to Corti, the game underwent several iterations before reaching its final form.

Initially, Capcom leadership intended to follow the commercial success of Resident Evil 6, which focused more on action and maintained strong ties to established characters like Leon S. Kennedy and the Umbrella Corporation. However, developers sought to regain critical acclaim by shifting away from the action-heavy style of franchises like Call of Duty.

Ultimately, the development team pivoted toward a narrative-driven survival horror experience, drawing significant inspiration from Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us. This shift included a move to a first-person perspective and a complete studio reorganization, which brought in a new director and writer to restart development from scratch.