Despite rumors that fans would get a glimpse at the next mainlineResident Evilgame before the end of 2024, the series remains conspicuously silent. Still, that silence has done little to slow down the rumor mill about what the nextResident Evilgames arriving might be, with everything fromResident Evil 9to modern remakes ofResident Evil 5andResident Evil - CODE: Veronicabeing on the table. Regardless of what form the nextResident Evilrelease takes, all signs point to series mainstay and iconic villain Albert Wesker playing a major role, which can only be seen as a good thing for the series' continued renaissance.
There are many villains across theResident Evilfranchise, but few if any have the same staying power as the series' original antagonist, Albert Wesker. Wesker’s place as the de facto face of the Umbrella Corporation and its nefarious schemes has seen him appear time and again throughout the franchise, often as a thorn in the side of each game’s protagonist and a wonderfully over-the-top foil to the hero. TheResident Evilseriesis set to return to legacy characters in the next mainline entry, which primes Albert Wesker’s triumphant return following his cameos in the Separate Ways DLC for theResident Evil 4remake.
New Mainline Resident Evil Games and Remakes Point to Wesker Being a Prominent Figure
TheResident Evilseries is possibly in its best position ever, with the mainline entries and modern remakes of classic games topping sales charts and pleasing new and longtime fans. Incidentally, it’s surprising that the series' lore has reached a bit of an impasse given theevents ofResident Evil Village. With the stage set for a new protagonist to take center stage, the next mainlineResident Evilhas an opportunity to return to legacy characters like Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, making Albert Wesker the perfect choice for a legacy villain to meet them head-on.
ButResident Evil 9is far from the only new game in the series players can look forward to, as months of leaks seem to suggest thatCapcom is working on more remakesof classic games, withCODE: VeronicaandResident Evil 5the most likely candidates. Regardless of Capcom’s direction with the next series remake, Wesker will feature prominently in either game. It’s worth noting that this is all preceded (and possibly even hinted at) by Wesker’s cameos in the most recentResident Evilrelease, the Separate Ways DLC for 2023’sResident Evil 4remake.
Why Wesker Is Such an Important Villain in the Resident Evil Canon
In a series with no shortage of iconic villains and monsters,Resident Evilstill comes back to Wesker time and again thanks to the character’s overall importance in the series canon. As a double agent–and a triple-crossing one, at that–Wesker is instrumental in both the research that gives birth to the T-Virus and bringing the members of S.T.A.R.S. toResident Evil’s Spencer Mansion, making him a central figure in kicking off the events that give rise to the entire franchise timeline. While one could make a case for Oswell Spencer, Edward Ashford, and James Marcus being the true villains, none of these figures are as hands-on as Wesker throughout the series.
Despite its enduring legacy as one of gaming’s most important franchises and its claim to fame for naming thesurvival horror genre,Resident Evilcan’t last forever. There’s every chance that the ninth mainline entry in the series could serve as a full-circle moment to cathartically witness Chris and Jill’s crusade against bioterrorism come to a climactic end, and there’s no more fitting villain to stand in their way than the one who’s responsible for it all in the first place – Albert Wesker.
