Resident Evil 4 remake: Release date, trailers, pre-order bonuses, and everything else we know
Including information on pre-order prices, gameplay and story details, and more
When will the Resident Evil 4 remake be released? Resident Evil 4 is the latest title in Capcom's flagship survival horror franchise to get the modern remake treatment. Unlike some older games, the 2005 original has never really been unavailable, thanks to numerous remasters and ports onto newer systems in recognition of its enduring popularity.
But this is the first time that RE4 has been remade from scratch: it's being redone completely in the RE Engine, developed in-house by Capcom for Resident Evil 7 and used again in Resident Evil: Village, as well as for the remakes of the second and third in the series. In other words, it's going to be very pretty and absolutely disgusting in equal measure.
Aside from the aesthetics of the thing, though, what else do we know about the Resident Evil 4 remake? On this page we'll give you a rundown of all the key facts we know, and keep you regularly updated on new developments as we learn of them.
On this page:
- Resident Evil 4 remake release date
- Resident Evil 4 remake platforms
- Resident Evil 4 remake pre-orders
- Resident Evil 4 remake trailer
- Resident Evil 4 remake story
- Resident Evil 4 remake gameplay
- Will the Resident Evil 4 remake have multiplayer?
Resident Evil 4 remake release date
The remake of Resident Evil 4 is expected to release on March 24, 2023. Happily, that's a Friday, so you won't eat into your annual leave too much too soon if you want to book a long weekend to play it!
Resident Evil 4 remake platforms
In addition to PC, the remake will be released on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One consoles, with all versions anticipated for release on the same day.
Nintendo Switch users will have to content themselves with their 2019 port of the original RE4, as there are currently no known plans to bring the remake to that console.
Resident Evil 4 remake pre-orders
For players on PC, Resident Evil 4 is now available for pre-order via Steam. It'll set you back £50/$60 for the standard edition, or £58/$70 for the deluxe edition.Pre-ordering either version will give you access to the gold attaché case and handgun ammo weapon charm in-game cosmetic items, while deluxe edition pre-orders get both of those plus a classic attaché case and a green herb weapon charm.
The digital deluxe edition itself includes several variant costumes, accessories, and filters for Leon and Ashley; two exclusive weapons; an alternative soundtrack from the 2005 original release; and the Treasure Map Expansion, which adds additional treasures to the game, including some unique ones only obtainable via this add-on.
There will also be a physical collector's edition of Resident Evil 4, which includes both physical and digital limited edition goodies, as long as you're willing to part with £250/$250 for the pleasure. However, it is only available to players who wish to own the game on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, or Xbox Series X. In fact, there isn't going to be a physical release of the game for PC at all.
Resident Evil 4 remake trailer
Probably due to the pre-existing popularity of Resident Evil 4, Capcom haven't been afraid to leave us wanting more in the lead-up to release, with only two official trailers out at the time of writing. Below is the most recent one, released on October 21st, 2022:
Resident Evil 4 remake story
In a similar vein to the remakes of RE2 and RE3, the remake of Resident Evil 4 will follow the story of the original quite closely, but with room for enough differences to keep things interesting for long-time fans. Expect the remake to retain the original's broad outline: returning Resi leading man Leon Kennedy is searching for missing presidential first daughter Ashley, in a rural Spanish village overrun by a mysterious plague. But, as Vid Bud Liam explained following his hands-on preview, even someone who knows the game inside-out will find plenty of surprises along the way.
Resident Evil 4 remake gameplay
Like the original, the Resident Evil 4 remake will be a third-person action-horror game — so, unlike in the recent brand-new entries to the series (which switched to a first-person viewpoint), you'll be able to admire Leon's pretty hair even while you're playing as him. The original Resi 4 was also the first in the series to feature an over-the-shoulder camera, a style that was then incorporated into the remakes of Resi 2+3, so it's no surprise that the remake of Resident Evil 4 is sticking with it once again.
While our in-house Resi expert Liam has confirmed that combat feels nice and familiar in the remake, it does naturally include some quality-of-life improvements to gameplay, enabled by the technological advances of the intervening 18 years. Leon can finally fire his gun while running, for example, rather than having to stop to aim, which has been the case in every other version of RE4 released up until now. Again, these modernisations are in-line with what we've already seen in the recent versions of RE2 and RE3, so expect this game to feel quite similar to the other series remakes made in the RE Engine.
Will the Resident Evil 4 remake have multiplayer?
A game with the scope and popularity of the Resident Evil 4 remake inevitably attracts questions of whether it will include multiplayer content. Fortunately, it seems like Capcom continue to resist the urge to shoehorn online play into their Resi remakes, as there's no sign of anything in the works. This remake promises to be a solid single-player experience, and I for one am all in favour of that!
However, if you're hoping to scratch that particular itch, the dedicated multiplayer title Resident Evil Re:Verse has so far incorporated characters and locations from every Resi game released in the RE Engine. So there's good reason to hope that Re:Verse will get an RE4-themed update at some point to celebrate the series' latest new release.
Those are all the key details we have right now about the Resident Evil 4 remake, but we're eagerly anticipating this game and keeping an eye on its progress, so expect more updates here as we learn them! If you're looking for more games to get hyped for in the early months of 2023, why not check out our page on Star Wars Jedi: Survivor next?
