Capcom appears to have quietly teased Leon S. Kennedy’s role in Resident Evil Requiem as far back as the game’s first teaser, a detail that largely went unnoticed until his official reveal. Leon had been at the center of leaks and discussion surrounding the game, with AestheticGamer, also known as Dusk Golem, repeatedly stating that the character would appear in the main story. That claim was confirmed during the latest trailer shown at The Game Awards 2025, validating months of speculation.
Following Leon’s confirmation, fans began revisiting the original teaser and identified a subtle visual hint embedded within it. During a brief flash of text that normally reads “Requiem,” pausing on a specific frame and flipping the image vertically reveals the word “Leon.” This hidden detail is now being interpreted as an intentional tease from Capcom, suggesting that the character’s involvement was planned and hinted at from the very beginning, even if it was easy to miss at the time.
Dusk Golem addressed the discovery on X, commenting on how overlooked the moment had been. He stated, “If people had noticed this tease back in the first Resident Evil Requiem trailer, I bet the internet would’ve gone wild.” In response to the discussion, a user named Itsonemore23 replied, “I saw it. I didn’t think much of it since you stated he was going to be in th game. So as a consumer watching this it was more of a reveal anticipation rather than feeling misled.” Dusk Golem followed up by adding, “I feel silly since I honestly never noticed. XD;”
Leon’s presence had been rumored for some time, but despite repeated hints from the leaker that his reveal was approaching, confirmation did not arrive until The Game Awards presentation. With that announcement, Capcom officially positioned Leon as a key figure in the narrative, putting an end to lingering uncertainty around his role.
Resident Evil Requiem is the ninth mainline entry in Capcom’s survival horror series and features a dual protagonist structure. Players will follow new FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft alongside Leon S. Kennedy, whose return marks his first major playable role in the series in years. The game revisits the tragedy of Raccoon City, with Ashcroft’s sections focused on tense survival and evasion, while Leon’s gameplay leans toward action-oriented combat. Resident Evil Requiem is scheduled for worldwide release on February 27, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
