New Resident Evil Village eliminates load times, is next-gen exclusive

Capcom's new ultra-bizarre Resident Evil VIII: Village isn't coming to the current generation of consoles, and will instead be locked to PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC.

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Today Capcom announced Resident Evil VII.I.AGE, a new horror fantasy game that takes big cues from RE4. All the rumors you heard are true: There's werewolves, witches, a castle set atop a ghostly village, and all kinds of supernatural horrors like werewolves. Capcom has also confirmed the game will be exclusive to next-gen consoles, meaning it won't release on PS4 and Xbox One in 2021.

Capcom has been working on this game for a long time, and it's powered by the powerful RE Engine tech which has been optimized specifically for the new hardware like the 7nm AMD SoCs and PCIe 4.0 SSDs found in the PS5 and Xbox Series X.

Thus armed with higher-end storage tech, Capcom confirms REVIII won't have any loading screens on PS5 or Xbox Series X. So when you die, the game can instantly boot you back up right into the action. The action sequences will also be seamless, giving Capcom all kinds of freedom to craft heart-racing horror.

"Realistic graphics and immersive audio coupled with no load times really draw you into the world we've created for Resdident Evil Village," game producer Pete Fabiano said in a recent dev video.

The developer video also reveals Village's inventory screen:

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Capcom also revealed some tidbits in its official fact sheet: "RE Engine paired with the new technological power of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X will deliver hyper-detailed graphics, bringing the shadowy village and its haunting residents to life. Resident Evil Village will showcase the most realistic survival horror experience to date."

Resident Evil VIII: Village will release sometime in 2021, and is exclusive to PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC.

Check below for more information on the game:

OVERVIEW

Experience survival horror like never before in Resident Evil Village, which will utilize the power of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X to elevate each desperate fight to survive by showcasing the most realistic and terrifying graphics to date. The all-new title is the eighth major installment in the storied Resident Evil franchise, which established the survival horror genre nearly 25 years ago.

The title is currently in development using next generation console technology and Capcom's proprietary RE Engine, used to create vivid gameplay experiences in hit titles such as Resident Evil™ 7 biohazard, Resident Evil™ 2, Resident Evil™ 3, and Devil May Cry™ 5. With hyper-detailed graphics, intense first-person action and masterful storytelling, the terror has never felt more realistic and inescapable.

Set a few years after the horrifying events in the critically acclaimed Resident Evil 7 biohazard, the all-new storyline begins with Ethan Winters and his wife Mia living peacefully in a new location, free from their past nightmares. Just as they are building their new life together, tragedy befalls them once again.

Chris Redfield, the legendary hero from the Resident Evil series, is reacquainted with the couple and horribly disrupts their life, spiraling Ethan into chaos. A devastated Ethan finds himself in a remote snow-capped village seeking answers after being thrown into an entirely new nightmare.

Resident Evil Village will come to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Steam in 2021.

FEATURES

• All New Resident Evil Experience - Picking up where Resident Evil 7 biohazard left off, Resident Evil Village is the eighth major installment in the flagship Resident Evil series. The game sees the reunited Ethan and Mia Winters living happily together and putting their shared nightmares of the Baker's plantation behind them... until their life is upended and Ethan becomes the focal point of a new nightmare.

• Next Generation Technology - RE Engine paired with the new technological power of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X will deliver hyper-detailed graphics, bringing the shadowy village and its haunting residents to life. Resident Evil Village will showcase the most realistic survival horror experience to date.

• First-Person Action - Players will assume the role of Ethan Winters and experience every up-close battle and terrifying pursuit through a first-person perspective.

• Familiar Faces and New Foes - Chris Redfield has typically been a hero in the Resident Evil series, but his appearance in Resident Evil Village seemingly shrouds him in sinister motives. A host of new adversaries inhabiting the enigmatic village will relentlessly hunt Ethan and hinder his every move as he attempts to make sense of the new nightmare he finds himself in.

• A Living, Breathing Village - More than just a mysterious backdrop for the horrifying events that unfold in the game, the village is a character in its own right with mysteries for Ethan to uncover and terrors to escape from.