Resident Evil Requiem Leak Reveals Leon Kennedy Return

Yet another leak has revealed the return of Leon S. Kennedy for Resident Evil Requiem, but this time it comes directly from the PlayStation Store. Rumors, leaks, and fan theories have long pointed towards the return of the iconic character in next year’s Resident Evil Requiem, but an accidental leak from the PlayStation Store has now revealed a new key art image of Kennedy standing behind the game’s main protagonist, FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft.

Resident Evil Requiem will be the ninth installment in the mainline series, set roughly 30 years after the destruction of Racoon City in 1998. Although leaks and rumors have claimed the game may feature multiple protagonists, Capcom says Requiem will focus on Grace Ashcroft, an FBI analyst and introvert who is dedicated to her work after the loss of her mother. In terms of gameplay, fans can expect the same classic horror the franchise is known for, but this time with the ability to choose between first and third-person camera angles. By default, Requiem is in first-person, but players looking for the more traditional third-person view seen in the likes of Resident Evil 2 or 3 can switch the angle in the game’s settings.

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Following its initial reveal earlier this year, Capcom explained that Leon Kennedy will not be the main protagonist in Resident Evil Requiem as his confidence makes him “a bad match for horror.” Instead, the studio wanted a character who shares the player’s perspective but learns to overcome her fears throughout the story. Despite these claims, numerous leaks have suggested Kennedy will appear in Resident Evil Requiem in some capacity. Back in October, a PlayStation Store listing accidentally listed a costume for Leon Kennedy if players purchase the Deluxe Edition of the game. A little over one month later, the PlayStation Store appears to have done it again, this time with an image.

PlayStation Store Leaks Leon Kennedy in Resident Evil Requiem

If it wasn’t already obvious enough, the PlayStation Store has all but confirmed Leon Kennedy will appear in Resident Evil Requiem in some capacity. As spotted by Twitter user and leaker Dusk Golem (verified by IGN), the PlayStation Store has accidentally leaked a new promotional image for the 2026 game, which undeniably features Leon S. Kennedy standing behind Grace. This can, apparently, be viewed by anybody who has pre-ordered the Standard Edition of Resident Evil Requiem by attempting to pre-load the title on PlayStation 5, as the leaked image will appear with a countdown until the game’s release.

Although Capcom hasn’t commented on the leak at the time of writing, it seems to be all but confirmed that Kennedy will be returning. While the franchise has spawned some iconic characters over the years, Leon Kennedy is undoubtedly the most popular Resident Evil protagonist. Outside of the recent remakes, he was last seen in 2012’s Resident Evil 6 as one of the game’s many protagonists, which means his potential return in Requiem will be Kennedy’s first appearance (outside of remakes) in fourteen years.

Resident Evil Requiem has already teased the return of past characters, but producer Masato Kumazawa told fans of the series not to expect too much. While the producer said Leon Kennedy’s rumored return was “fake news,” it seems Kumazawa may have been trying to keep the character’s return a surprise, which PlayStation has now seemingly ruined.