Although not outright confirmed by Capcom yet, Resident Evil 9 is almost certainly in the pipeline at some point in the future. Considering the immense success of the Resident Evil 4 remake and Resident Evil Village, it would be no surprise to expect the company to want to keep this franchise running strong for several more years to come.
It remains to be seen exactly when Resident Evil 9 will arrive on the scene, and exactly what form it will take both narratively and gameplay-wise. The last mainline installment, Resident Evil Village, ended with plenty of opportunities for where the plot can go. Many fans expect series mainstay Chris Redfield to take over as the star going forward, which sparks a lot of questions regarding the series' identity in future installments.
Ethan Winters was the 'Everyman' Hero
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Nowhere close to being the skilled secret agent like Leon Kennedy, Ethan Winters represented a more Everyman approach to a main character, which only helped amplify the horror due to him being more instantly relatable. Leon, Chris, Jill, and Claire all had some sort of weapons training and hand-to-hand combat training, giving them an edge to survive the horrors in the Resident Evil franchise. Ethan was just a regular guy, having to rely on his wits and will to make it out alive.
This shift to a slower-paced and horror-focused Resident Evil game was welcomed by fans and critics alike after previous entries. Resident Evil 5 and especially Resident Evil 6 received some criticism for leaning far too heavily into action, drifting away from the true essence of the series. Ethan was then the head of this refurbished style of horror but has now been effectively written out of the franchise after a startling plot twist was revealed. Knowing Chris' confidence and ability to mow down biohazards, the focus on horror the series has reprised could be in jeopardy.
Shifting Away From Action for Resident Evil 9
This is further emphasized by the ending of Resident Evil Village seeming to imply that Chris Redfield will once again be the main character for a future game. Traditionally, Chris has been the face of Resident Evil games more associated with action-based gameplay, even in his brief appearance in the latest entry. Because Resident Evil has found its stride again with horror, it would be a shame for Resident Evil 9 to abandon that.
While a legitimate concern based on Chris' reputation with the series, it's likely that Capcom is fully aware that this will not fit anymore. The Resident Evil franchise has become much gritter and more grounded in recent years, something which even Chris shouldn't be able to flee from. Resident Evil Village offers Chris a wide inventory filled with a ton of weapons, which would need to be the opposite in a Chris-led Resident Evil 9 if it wishes to sustain any element of survival horror.
To maintain the horror present in the games starring Ethan, Chris should be stripped of the resources and comfort he often finds himself with due to his military proficiency. Have the game strip him of all weapons, and maybe place him in an environment in which brute force won't be enough to survive.
Perhaps take a page from the House Beneviento level in Resident Evil Village and have Chris contend with more psychological threats instead of physical ones. The core concept should be to flip expectations and put Chris in a horrifying context unlike anything he's experienced before in an attempt to make Resident Evil's most able soldier into a pitiable victim of circumstance.
Resident Evil 9 is rumored to be in development.