Resident Evil 9is hiding in the shadows at the moment, but an announcement from Capcom feels imminent. It’s been three years since the lastResident Evilchapter, and its open-ended finale has raised even more questions about the future of the series. BetweenResident Evil 7andVillage, the main source of infection was found in the Mold, a dangerous fungus that originates in the mountains of Eastern Europe. Its introduction was a departure from the Umbrella-made viruses the franchise has established, and if rumors are true, the Mold will return in the next game.
Resident Evil 7andVillageserved as a surprising origin story for the Umbrella Corporation. Mother Miranda, the person responsible for discovering the Mold, once mentored Umbrella founder Oswell E. Spencer, which inspires the latter’s future work. While the T-Virus and G-Virus mutate its victims into zombified abominations, the Mold can cause even more terrifying changes to its host. The Mold possiblyreturning inResident Evil 9could be divisive for fans who are more partial to the original games, but it has a major advantage, as it’s a unique cause of infection in an increasingly oversaturated genre.
Resident Evil 9 Bringing Back the Mold Can Help Its Story Stand Out in a Crowded Space
Recently Released/Soon-To-Be Released Zombie Games
These are just a few of the zombie games already released or planned to be released, likely within the next year. That’s a lot of titles to stand up against, and althoughResident Evilhas the benefit of being an established franchise with a massive following, it still needs to feel special. An ongoing trope in the zombie genre involves viruses causing infection, butthe Mold givesResident Evila new path forward.
Theories have suggested thatResident Evil 9could potentially be announced at the upcoming Game Awards.
There have been plenty of rumors swirling aboutResident Evil 9, and one of the biggest claims revolves around the return of the Mold andfan-favoriteResident Evilprotagonists Jill and Leon.Resident Evil 9will already have a tricky balancing act with offering fan service in a compelling way that doesn’t feel too gimmicky, and the Mold could help with striking such a target. Now, manyResident Evilfans are familiar with the Mold and Leon and Jill, but audiences have yet to see how the duo would handle coming face-to-face with such a dangerous fungus for the first time.
The potential return ofThe Connections inResident Evil 9brings a fresh enemy to the forefront. As of now, this mysterious organization has only been briefly brushed over, but it’s at least known that the crime syndicate experiments heavily with the Mold. In order to get more answers about The Connections, the Mold has to play a role in the story.
Mother Miranda supplied The Connections with a sample of the Mold.
Resident Evil Should Be Allowed to Evolve
A brand-new antagonist via The Connections has brought an opportunity for the franchise to stay true toResident Evil’s established themesof corporate corruption and unchecked scientific experimentation while also opening the door to further growth. The Mold is a more formidable foe than the viruses created by Umbrella, and most other titles in the zombie genre don’t have that special ingredient.
One of the few franchises to forego a virus-based genesis for its zombies isThe Last of Us. While it also features a fungus as its zombie source,Resident Evil’s version of such a concept is far more otherworldly and over-the-top, setting it apart quite well. There has yet to be confirmation ofmore Mold inResident Evil 9, but it feels inevitable.
Resident Evil Village
WHERE TO PLAY
Ethan Winters finds himself in an entirely new nightmare in Capcom’s latest installment of the acclaimed Resident Evil franchise. Whether you’re defending against Lycans in the grim dwellings of the village or exploring the lavish Castle Dimitrescu, the meticulously designed environments immerse you in this eerie world, powered by Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine. Run from, hide or face off against a diverse cast of terrifying village inhabitants in dream-like - no, nightmarish - situations and fight your instincts to push through classic horror-based sequences. Also, be sure to check out “The Mercenaries” that unlocks once you’ve finished the campaign, a fast-paced and arcade-like game mode which challenges players to blast away enemies against the clock.
