The original Resident Evil remains one of the greats, and Capcom's 2002 remake (affectionately referred to as REmake) was terrific. Capcom is returning to the well again, and it's one time where I can't blame them.

In early 2015, we'll be treated to yet another update of the franchise's origin story, and it's headed to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. More specifically, Capcom's updated the character models, backgrounds, and even the control scheme. Yep, the tank controls are now optional. Players can also switch between viewing the game in its original 4:3 visual format and a modern 16:9 widescreen look.

For a brief glance at what's coming next year, Capcom released the video below. Now, about Resident Evil 2...

Capcom needs money.

With all the recent ports for Revelations, RE4, and now the remake, Capcom are certainly doing their damndest to try and wash away the stink surrounding RE6. Not that I'm complaining, though it's unfortunate that they're not also 'remastering' RE0 along with the remake.

As for RE2, at this point I'd rather they steer clear of that one as they'd likely only fuck it up anyway. Maybe if they would compile all the content across the numerous ports into one ultimate package with some slightly enhanced graphics. But modern day Capcom attempting a complete remake sounds like a disaster.

Cool. The GameCube remake of RE was the best remake of a game there's ever been.

That's cool, since the game takes place in an actual residence again the title will finally make sense.

I'm just thankful they're not remaking RE4 again

@hammondoftexas: It's kind of weird that the video was in Japanese but the Japanese title isn't being used...

Also, it's rather ironic how this doesn't appear to be coming to Wii U, given the game's long-lasting Nintendo console exclusivity.

I don't know if this is real or just some Capcom supertroll. The REmake was an amazing game and this is fantastic news that's its being remastered, definitely picking this up when it comes out. Hopefully this proves successful for them and they decide that this type of survival horror is what people really want. I haven't been excited for a survival horror game in a long time, cautiously optimistic about The Evil Within, but this has me really anticipating early 2015 now.

Not a remake Patrick. Dear press, please stop calling ports remakes all the time. This is a port with some minor polish applied.

Hazaa! My body wasn't ready for this news, but I'm all for it...all the way through it.

As someone that was a bit too young at the time to get into the original, I'm really looking forward to getting a chance to play through this myself. I've seen a few videos of the original game, but this presents a perfect opportunity to actually play it in a fashion that doesn't feel almost 20 years out of date at this point.

If they're re-releasing this remake, (oh God, is this really happening?), then that's some movement on the franchise.

That could mean a possible few things:

A) Capcom's become complacent enough to just rehash RE. (Hopefully not.)

B) Capcom is planning to do something with the franchise (possibly reboot), which is why they're catching us up.

Jim Sterling called this just days before it was announced.

Holy shit I am so excited one of the greatest games of all time. I am constantly talking about how good the REmake is. This is fantastic news! Remake the other ones now!

Yeah it is great news. I hope RE 0 gets ported too. Personally I don't if I'm going to get them. I already have it on the Wii, although the quality is kind of crappy in an HDTV. hmmmm

I'm all for this if they want to refocus with a reset going forward with a new game. Get back to the "rescue team responding to a mayday is attacked by biological horrors!" idea instead of the silly cloak and dagger stuff it degenerated into.

I'm freaking happy. Yet... I would love RE2 way more.

@hammondoftexas: They did multiple takes. One for Western audiences, one for the Japanese audience where they say Biohazard. They know that not everybody in the US knows the game by it's US title. It also makes it seem more respectful for the Western audience to hear them say "Resident Evil" which was part of the reason they did it.

In other words they shot a single video for two audiences with some minor editing. Note the hard cut early on after they introduce themselves and stop saying Resident Evil.

@giantlizardking Any area that someone or something is living can be a residence, thus the name will always make sense. It doesn't have to be a traditional living environment like a house.

As someone who has played through REmake just about half a dozen times, this is all I could ever ask for in the series.

So wait... it's a re-master of a re-make?

I'm fine with that, it just.. sounds strange to say it out loud.

Been wanting this and RE 0 on HD for a really long while now. I'm definitely grabbing this as soon as possible.

The original name was clearly a play on words, as the game took place in a mansion. As early as the second game in the series, which tool place in a police station, it stopped being about evil in a residence and thus the title stopped making sense.

Am I the only one who thinks this is kinda superfluous? I'm kinda surprised about how positive people seem about this.

@linkster7: Perhaps you just don't have the same nostalgia for the game, or simply didn't enjoy it as much as some people? Personally, I'm extremely excited for this. The first Resident Evil is one of my all-time favorite games, so I could not be happier that they're giving it a complete overhaul to bring it to the current generation of gamers & consoles.

Had they actually remade RE2 or RE3 then I'd be impressed, but they are mining the well for the 3rd time with the exact same game. Doesn't really surprise me with the state the company is in.

Really expected more of Patrick than just quickly skimming the press release and writing it up in a short article.

This is a "remaster" and barely a remaster at that. All signs point to a typical low effort port by Capcom.

So happy this is happening and pleasantly surprised at the positive response I've seen, not just here, but in other outlets as well.

Man, with the lineup of games Capcom has going forward, I think this is just Capcom needing something out there.

played it a while back on Dolphin, still an absolutely fantastic game. hopefully if it sells well (which it should) it'll push Capcom in the right direction for further RE games.

hmmm..well I'll be cautiously hopeful. Shame it's cross generational but they need that cash.

I'm gonna buy this so hard, you don't even know.

You know, I never have played any of the early RE games. I might give this a shot, especially without tank controls. Hopefully this'll keep Capcom skirting the abyss a little longer, and maybe they can put out something cool later this generation. They were one of my favorite devs going into the last gen.

Just re-make it for the Oculus Rift, so you can guarantee a heart-attack for when those dogs jump out of the window

THERE WAS A BED IN THE LAB WHERE CLAIRE GAVE SHERRY HER VEST, SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN RESIDING THERE

The name Resident Evil happened because there was a band called Biohazard. I wouldn't be surprised if the person who came up with the name Resident Evil had nothing to do with making the games.

Yup. Mikami himself has openly spoken about how he thinks the name Resident Evil is ''stupid''. I don't mind it myself, as nonsensical as it may be. It's certainly more colourful than Biohazard.

<sarcasm>

Insert joke about DOTA 2 being the best remake of a game there's ever been.

</sarcasm>

I am totally willing to buy a slightly updated version of a game that came out in 2002 that in turn is a remake of one that came out in 1996. I might have a problem.

Don't forget the 2006 'remaster' of the very original Resident Evil on DS, which is the version I remember you saying was the one you first played. Man, this game's certainly gotten around...

Although the remake is of course so different from the original that I consider it to be its own game.

This is even barely a remaster. Capcom is just upscaling everything and applying filters and it looks like shit.

Here's the Wii port running on Dolphin:

Here's the "remaster":

No, it wasn't. You're just assuming that and stating it as if it were a fact when in fact it's complete BS.

The name "Resident Evil" was chosen because it could be applied to almost anything. It is not a literal reference to anything. I learned this back in 2008 at the first (named) Captivate event that Capcom held in Las Vegas.

"Resident Evil" was decided upon as a name because of series potential knowing that the phrase/term/title could be all inclusive for nearly anything.

@fawkes What you said is true. The title was a result of Capcom's US Marketing department at the time. Much in the same way that Capcom's Marketing Dept came up with the term "Survival/Horror" a genre that didn't exist. RE wasn't the first game of it's type however someone was very clever to come up with that term which eventually stuck and became a genre. Capcom thought they could make lightning strike twice when they tried to do the same with Devil May Cry years later calling it "Stylish Action Combat" (or something like that) but it never stuck.

Awesome! I was just saying I wanted this to happen. Absolutely love the GC remake and would be more than happy to play it again.

I thought they were remastering 6 not 1! But it's based off the gamecube remaster... odd.

I might be interested in it. The tank controls always turned me off from it and other sequels so making it optional could be enough to get me to try it so long as the normal controls work well. I'll wait for the QL to decide much more.

Tank controls may be optional but I'll be using them since that was the way it was meant to be played.

I will buy this. I'm always down to play the first Resident evil again. Now if they could just do a remastering of 2...

Oh sure, that totally doesn't sound like Capcom just trying to retcon their dumb name into making sense.

From the wiki

The series was originally called Biohazard in Japan but it was decided to change the name in the western market after Chris Kramer, the Director of Communications at Capcom, pointed out that it would be impossible to trademark "Biohazard" in the US. There was a DOS game and a Metal band bearing the same name, among other things. Capcom then held an internal contest within its company to find an alternative name and eventually settled on "Resident Evil." It was a clever pun since the original game took place in a mansion filled with evil monsters.

Kramer voted against the name, saying the title was "super-cheesy" but the rest of the marketing crew loved it and were ultimately able to convince Capcom Japan and Shinji Mikami that the name fit, even though in later years Mikami admitted that the American name was "stupid".

Just give it up, it's a dumb name. Lots of games have dumb names, that doesn't mean they are bad.

EDIT: wrong quote :/

@authenticm said:

This is even barely a remaster. Capcom is just upscaling everything and applying filters and it looks like shit.

Here's the Wii port running on Dolphin:

Here's the "remaster":

None of the other shots looked anything like that shot. I just plain don't believe that the game is going to look like that.