Could Capcom Really Kill Leon in Resident Evil Requiem? New Images Showing a Mysterious Mark on His Neck Have Fans Worried

Resident Evil fans are worriedly discussing caller screenshots of fan-favorite quality Leon S. Kennedy, which look to diagnostic an ominous-looking people connected his neck.

The past week has been a rollercoaster for Leon fans, with leaked artwork confirming the character's long-rumored beingness successful Requiem, followed by his authoritative unveiling successful a trailer astatine The Game Awards past Thursday.

But present there's interest for Leon's aboriginal — arsenic fans analyse screenshots from Capcom's latest trailer that seemingly amusement a dark, bloodied coiled connected the hero's neck, and pursuing a remark from Resident Evil: Requiem shaper Akifumi Nakanishi who stated that Leon is hiding "a large secret."

IGN has revisited past week's authoritative Resident Evil Requiem trailer that aired during The Game Awards, and enhanced the screenshots you tin spot below.

Leon successful Resident Evil Requiem's latest trailer. Image credit: Capcom/IGN.

Another look astatine Leon successful Requiem's latest trailer. Image credit: Capcom/IGN.

Could this beryllium a zombie bite, oregon perchance different infection? The question has prompted furious statement among fans connected reddit and societal media, portion others person suggested this would beryllium an improbable crippled constituent for Capcom to research again, aft Leon was injected with Las Plagas during Resident Evil 4. Other fans, however, person said this people could beryllium a motion of Leon's older Las Plagas corruption dilatory recurring — arsenic a neat mode to necktie Leon's communicative successful Requiem backmost to the franchise's astir fashionable entry.

Jokingly, immoderate fans person suggested the people is simply a motion to Capcom's non-canon Game Boy Color rubric Resident Evil: Gaiden, successful which Leon is revealed to secretly beryllium a monster erstwhile greenish humor oozes from a coiled connected his neck. Alternatively, 1 different instrumentality claimed, it's a emotion wound from Ada.

The taxable of whether Leon volition dice has agelong been debated by fans anticipating his quality successful Requiem, which Capcom has suggested volition reason communicative threads from the franchise truthful far. Will the passing of Leon — for many, the series' astir fashionable quality — beryllium utilized to people the extremity of Resident Evil's existent epoch of storytelling, arsenic it marks its 30th anniversary?

Speculation has lone intensified aft remarks from Requiem shaper Akifumi Nakanishi, who was asked by Denfaminicogamer astir the connection "Elpis," which appears successful the game's latest trailer.

"Although I can't uncover immoderate details yet, Leon has a large secret, and Elpis is progressive successful that arsenic well," Nakinishi said, "and it has an important meaning. I anticipation that arsenic you play, you volition beryllium capable to unravel Elpis' secret.

"In past Greek mythology, Elpis is simply a awesome near down successful Pandora's Box, from which assorted disasters are said to person flowed," helium continued. "It is mostly interpreted arsenic 'hope,' but successful fact, immoderate radical besides spot it arsenic 'disaster.' This is an important constituent successful the communicative of Requiem."

Will Leon's destiny yet beryllium 1 of anticipation oregon disaster? Resident Evil: Requiem launches connected February 27, 2026.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social