Capcom Says Resident Evil: Resistance Isn’t Part Of Series Canon

This year’s Resident Evil 3 might be a remake at heart, but Capcom is making sure to pack a bunch new features on the disc that were never available in the 1999 original.

One of these, of course, is Resident Evil: Resistance. Formerly known as Project Resistance prior to the revelation that it would be included with this year’s reimagined threequel, the multiplayer accompaniment is an asymmetrical affair that pits a team of four survivors against one all-powerful Mastermind. As is typical of the formula, the latter’s job is to impede and ultimately prevent the survivors’ escape from an Umbrella compound meant for testing a wide array of gruesome bioweapons.

By utilizing security systems, placing traps and even taking direct control of iconic monsters such as Mr X, several famous and lesser-known Resident Evil villains will be playable in the Mastermind role with one, Daniel Fabron, featuring in a recent closed beta test. Due to the mode’s nature as prioritizing gameplay over story, however, Capcom has confirmed that Resistance isn’t considered canon with the series’ overarching narrative.

In a recent interview with PlayStation Magazine, Resident Evil 3 producer Peter Fabiano confirmed that Resistance is “basically set in Raccoon City with scenarios that make it impossible to fit in the actual timeline.” As for why the developer specifically chose this year’s remake and not, say, last year’s Resident Evil 2 to house Resistance, Fabiano refers to the third game’s original Japanese subtitle.

“You’ll remember that the Japanese subtitle for RE3 was Last Escape,” he says, adding “Both of these titles have characters that are trying to escape somewhere or something, so thematically it made sense. We also wanted to take up the challenge of building out an online game set in the RE universe.”

Some fascinating insight into the origins of Resident Evil: Resistance, then, and while its non-canon nature might be somewhat off-putting for story junkies, the decision will undoubtedly allow Capcom to try some absurd ideas that otherwise would never have made sense in the series’ established narrative. Color us intrigued.

Resident Evil 3 is out April 3rd for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.