Even though we are just a few months out from the release of Resident Evil Requiem, not much is known about the survival horror follow-up’s plot or characters, with fan speculation rampant on whether everyone’s favourite blond-haired hero, Leon S. Kennedy, will make an appearance. Now, thanks to a leak on the game’s PlayStation Store page, it seems that Kennedy will be spin-kicking his way into the new game, just like fans predicted.
As spotted by IGN, players who pre-purchased the standard digital edition of the game via the PlayStation Store were suddenly treated to an updated cover art for the game when pre-loading the title. The image was swiftly removed, but not before being shared across the web by users such as prominent Resident Evil leaker Dusk Golem, who shared the cover art in all its glory on social media.
The image clearly shows an older Kennedy, stubble and all, looming over Resident Evil Requiem’s other main protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, sporting a fur-lined leather jacket akin to his iconic Resident Evil 4 drip.
Leon’s appearance in Resident Evil Requiem is perhaps Capcom’s worst-kept secret. On one hand, game director Koshi Nakanishi previously explained how they didn’t want Leon to be the focus as “No one wants to see Leon scared by every little thing”, but on the other hand, producer Masato Kumazawa offered contradicting statements by saying that characters involved in the Raccoon City incident will be making an appearance, which further fueled the speculation.
At least now we have almost concrete confirmation that our favourite agent will be a part of the game, although in what capacity remains unclear. By being on its cover art, Leon will definitely play a huge role in Resident Evil Requiem, although whether he will be playable remains to be seen, something that might be answered at The Game Awards 2025. In addition, this leak follows another that points to Rosemary Winters being the game’s second playable character, so Leon might very well serve as just a major NPC to tie the story together.
In any case, fans can rest assured that Leon will at least play some part in Resident Evil Requiem and will just have to wait until Capcom announces more ahead of the game’s release on 27 February 2026. Let’s just hope they don’t pull the same stunt as Naughty Dog did for Joel in The Last of Us Part II.
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
