Capcom Returning Resident Evil 7 to its Survival Horror Roots. But How Much Damage Has Already Been Done?

Fans finally have Capcom by the face.  The key is to not let go

In a recent interview with MCV (found here), Capcom has announced recognition of the negative feedback surrounding 2012's Resident Evil 6 and have stated that the next title on the docket, Resident Evil 7, will be a return to the classic horror gameplay on which the series' predecessors were founded.  That's right, the very core element of the franchise, neglected by its own creators, is finally making a comeback.  It only took Capcom ten years worth of screaming fans to realize it (though I'm sure the poor sales of RE6 rung in their ears louder than any fan's plea ever could).

Its a bit of an odd coincidence that barely three days ago, I posted my thoughts on Dark Souls II and my fear the series is slated to follow in Resident Evil's footsteps.  As a game gains recognition, its very understandable for publishers and developers alike to ask, "What we can do for the next game that will equate to even more recognition?"  And unfortunately, most companies narrow their vision to the most short-sighted answer possible; to integrate current popular features into their titles in order to set their scopes on the mass market. And we see the result time and time again; the sequels disappoint, sales begin to drop, the company tries to recover by implementing even more elements they think the general public craves (cover based shooting, weapon crafting, multiplayer) only for it to backfire with the sound of a million angry nerds.  But low and behold, history is destined to repeat itself, and even more up and coming game companies eagerly line-up for the guillotine titled, "Franchise Suicide," so long as the severed head can rest comfortably on a pillow of dollar bills.

Maybe this is just my naive observation, but it seems a lot of the companies making these mistakes are non-western developers trying to appeal to a western audience.  Just look at how Japanese publisher Square-Enix has transformed the Final Fantasy series over the years; catering more and more to a primarily North American audience (for gods' sake, Final Fantasy XIII features a character named Sazh Katzroy, a black man with an afro housing a baby Chocobo).  Capcom is still trying to scrape the bottom of the ice-cream carton that was Resident Evil 4's explosive success in the west.  And now Namco Bandai is presenting clear signs of similar strategies regarding the upcoming Dark Souls II.  I understand there is good reason to aim your product at a target, especially one as big as the Americas and Europe, but publishers make the constant mistake of thinking only one type of gamer exists in these countries.  I've said it before and I'll say it again; there is an alarming disconnect between publishers and their consumers and its plaguing the game industry.

Nope, I wasn't kidding

But let's switch back to Capcom.  Here we finally witness a company admitting its recent faults and actually announcing planned changes to alleviate these stumbles (if you can call ten years of bulldozing yourself into a hole "stumbling").  That's right fellow Resident Evil fans; we're finally getting the attention we've begged for and its paying off with a whole genre revival.  However, let's not get too excited all at once.  If we're being honest here, there is no way in hell Capcom would be reverting the series back to its roots if Resident Evil 6 had turned the profit they expected.  No matter how many more message boards, forums, and blogs continued to erupt with fan disappointment, Capcom would continue to follow the guaranteed cash flow.  They would drive thirty more stakes into the heart of the games we love until they soaked up every last drop of golden blood from the dead corpse.  And because I'm so sure of that fact, I will remain extremely suspicious regarding Resident Evil 7.  Personally, no amount of good news from the mouths of Capcom could undo the years of outright ignoring the very fans who breathed life into their company and kept it alive.

Shifting gears from all the negativity, I wanted add that I'm very proud of the gamers and reviewers alike who covered Resident Evil 6 justly.  All of the long-time fans who weren't afraid to proclaim that the game was full of flaws and without an identity (as much as it hurts to admit that one of your favorite franchises of all time is no longer what is used to be).  Gamers have always been pushovers, to a silly degree.  We'll get on the boycott bandwagon for a game one day, but the second we see something that suits our fancy, we're off preordering the Ultimate Limited Collector's Edition for $150 of our hard earned cash.  But while 5 million sales is still way too high for such a mediocre game, I'm glad that Capcom got a clear message from its fans regarding Resident Evil 6; "We do not want this."

Remember, in a capitalist economy, your dollar is your vote.  What you do and don't spend your money on could very well guarantee that thing's success, failure, change, or even revival.  I urge not just gamers, but all members playing a role in this society to really take your purchases to heart.  If you don't agree with something and it doesn't meet your standards, the best way to send a message of your distaste is to not buy it.  Show companies that they can't coast by with mediocrity and that we have standards.  Demonstrate that we're not a "one size fits all" audience and that some of us will not pump out money for what is merely a passing grade.  It comes down to us standing by our wants and using our power as consumers to steer the gaming industry to a place of quality, where publishers, developers, media, and players can all benefit equally.