Resident Evil Villageis right around the corner, and fans of the series are buzzing with ideas, hopes, and theories for the long-awaited game. Though the game has had several leaks and spoilers released, fans are still intent on crafting their own theories to the plot and events ofResident Evil Village.
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While some of these theories are outlandish and unlikely, there are a select few that could feasibly come true. From guest appearances of characters to entire playable campaigns, these are some of the more believable and grounded theories surroundingResident Evil Village, which is less than a month away from release.
10Ethan Winters Will Die
This theory has been floating around sinceResident Evil Villagewas first announced on June 21, 2025. Atthe beginning of the announcement trailerthe words, “His story comes to a close” play across the screen. This statement was among the most controversial of the early pieces of information fans gleaned about the game.
Resident Evil Villagebrings players into the shoes ofResident Evil 7protagonist Ethan Wintersonce more. Ethan wasn’t particularly popular with fans in the previous game, and many assumed that the trailer was hinting at Ethan’s eventual death inResident Evil Village.
9Chris Redfield Will Die
When fans read the words, “His story comes to a close” many thought that this could be Chris Redfield’s final appearance in aResident Eviltitle that isn’t a remake or spinoff. The character has been a legendary hero and flagship character for the series since its inception in 1996.
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It would certainly be a bold move for Capcom to kill off their most recognizable character. Chris Redfield has survived countless nightmares across the series and has proven himself as a true hero. Yet, he takes a much more sinister stance in the trailers forResident Evil Villageand this possible turn of character could lead to his end.
8Albert Wesker Will Tie Into The Story
Albert Wesker is the most beloved villainof the franchise despite not appearing in it since he was killed off inResident Evil 5. Though many fans want to see him return somehow, they’d be better off waiting for a remake or remaster than hoping he comes back inVillage. That said, there are still theories surrounding Wesker’s possible involvement with the village itself.
Fans who playedResident Evil 6will know that Albert Wesker actually had a son. Players wereintroduced to Jake MullerinResident Evil 6and eventually discovered that he was the son of the infamous Albert Wesker. Though many saw Jake Muller as forced fan service and not a true replacement for Wesker, Muller’s story could somehow tie into the setting ofResident Evil Village.Wesker conceived Muller with an unnamed woman in the far eastern European country of Edonia. Many fans want to believe that Wesker’s time in Europe will somehow be mentioned or affect the story ofVillage.
7Jill Valentine Will Finally Return
Fans have waited long and hard for flagship female character Jill Valentine to return to a mainlineResident Eviltitle. Though she was redesigned in the RE Engine inResident Evil 3 Remake,fans want Valentine to appear again in a new game.
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Jill and Chris have always been partners and the two have historically done anything and everything for each other. They are arguably the closest characters in the entire franchise and fans were incensed that Jill wasn’t inResident Evil 6,which was seemingly intent on bringing the entire main cast back together. Because Jill and Chris are so closely tied together in the lore, many fans are hopeful to see Jill return inVillage, possibly saving Chris from going down a dark path of destruction.
6Oswell E. Spencer & Umbrella In The Village
Multiple trailers have already shown the Umbrella logo somewhere in the world ofResident Evil Village. Umbrella was an international corporation with some of its most important research being done originally in Raccoon City. There were European branches of the villainous pharmaceutical company as well, with many being located in Russia.
Oswell Spencer, James Marcus, and Edward Ashford were the original founders of Umbrella in the late 1960s. The titular village ofResident Evil Villageappears to be much older than this, yet it still holds the symbols of Umbrella. Fans think that Spencer and Umbrella may have a larger impact on the story ofVillageand some think that Red Umbrella has once again been revived.
5There Will Be Two Playable Campaigns
TheResident Evilfranchise is no stranger to giving its players freedom with multiple playable characters, campaigns, and branching stories. Players could select between Jill and Chris in the originalResident Evil, Leon and Claire inResident Evil 2, and even unlocked Ada’s campaigns inResident Evil 4.Resident Evil 6thrived on multiple campaigns showcasing different characters andResident Evil 7offered DLC that allowed fans to play as Chris Redfield.
As such, many fans believe thatResident Evil Villagewill offer more than just Ethan’s story. Perhaps players will be able to play as Chirs once again and see the story from his eyes. It has been highly hinted that players will take control of a villager named Emily through parts of the story, and she will perhaps have her own DLC or playable campaign alongside Ethan. Either way, fans are certain thatVillagewill have a lot to offer with playable characters and stories.
4The Game Will Feature Open World Sections
Resident Evilhas traditionally focused on claustrophobic spaces and feelings of isolation to help create fear. The mansion ofResident Evilis a perfect example of this. Feeling trapped and cut off in a tight space with the walking dead is certainly one way to make players feel uncomfortable, butResident Evil Villageseems to be taking a much different approach to creating horror through setting.
Trailers for the game have shown large forests, caves, and snowy mountains. Though the village still seems to be the primary setting alongside the castles and dungeons fans have seen, there seem to be a lot of hints towards more open sections of the game where objectives can be completed in different ways or in different orders. This would be a bit of a risk for the series, but it would certainly be a breath of fresh air and something new for players to go through.Resident Evil 4is considered by many to be the best in the series, and it used many similar settings to what fans have seen across the trailers forVillageso perhaps fans have a reason to be optimistic.
3The Resident Evil 4 Merchant Will Make An Appearance
Of all the characters inResident Evil 4,few would’ve thought that the game’s merchant would instantly become a fan favorite. Yet, the heavily armed enigmatic salesmen took a special place in the hearts of manyResident Evilfans. Unfortunately, little is know about the merchant and he hasn’t made an appearance in any game sinceResident Evil 4.
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A new merchant will be making deals with Ethan inResident Evil Village. He’s known as “The Duke” and takes on a much more stereotypical appearance for a greedy merchant-type character. He is a classic portly businessman complete with a suit and hat. Fans obviously wanted the old merchant back, and some still think that the old cloaked merchant from the fourth game will somehow make an appearance or at the very least be alluded to.
2Chris Redfield Won’t Actually Be A Villain
It’s hard not to see Chris as a bad guy after he kills Mia Winters in cold blood and kidnaps Ethan and Mia’s daughter. His intentions are unclear and his actions are completely out of character. ThoughChris has done wrong in the past, he has always found a way to right himself. He is the flagship hero ofResident Evil, so seeing him portrayed as a villain has fans upset.
As a result, many of these upset fans are trying to justify how Chris isn’t actually evil. Some are citing that everything could be a hallucination or that Capcom is intentionally leaving out important information. Others just simply refuse to believe that the strongest hero in the series could so quickly become a villain.
1Rosemary Winters Will Be The Final Boss
Ethan and Mia’s daughter Rosemary is obviously a key character to the game. Though she is only an infant in the scenes fans have seen her in, many believe that she will be a critical part of the story. Some are even theorizing that Rosemary could start out as a baby but end up as an endgame boss!
It doesn’t seem completely out of the question either. Both Mia and Ethan were exposed to the Mold infection inResident Evil 7.Ethan never receives his dose of the cure in the events ofResident Evil 7though it is implied that he is cured under the care of Blue Umbrella and Chirs Redfield. Yet, their daughter could very well have parts of the infection in her very genome, making her a potentially dangerous bioweapon.
