Hideki Kamiya, the director behind the original Resident Evil 2, believes Capcom has become desensitized to the horror in its recent titles and is advocating for the inclusion of a "non-horror mode" to make them more palatable to a wider audience. Kamiya expressed that he himself finds recent Resident Evil games too scary to play, despite his directorial involvement in the franchise's history.
Kamiya stated in an interview with VGC that he has never been a fan of horror and finds scary things difficult to handle, even in movies. He observed that as video games have become more photorealistic, the level of horror developers can put on screen has become "absolutely insane." He suspects that the teams working on Resident Evil at Capcom have become "completely numb" to the frightening nature of their creations. "I talk to folks who are on the Resident Evil teams at Capcom just privately, and I tell them that their games are way too scary, and they're like, 'what, come on, they’re not that scary'," Kamiya revealed. "They seriously seem to have no awareness of how scary the things they make actually are."
He recounted his experience with Resident Evil Village, noting that while he was curious to revisit the world as Leon Kennedy, he found the game "way too scary" and was unable to complete it. This personal struggle highlights his belief that even those deeply involved in the franchise can be alienated by its intensity.
Kamiya has previously entertained the idea of a radically different take on Resident Evil, once pitching a more serene game featuring Leon fishing, foraging, and walking his dog. Alternatively, he proposed a "not scary mode" where "the zombies get all cute, the blood splatters turn into cherry blossom petals, the music becomes this upbeat, feel-good kind of tune, and you can just purely enjoy the puzzles and battles in a fun mood."
While Kamiya acknowledges that adding a less intense option, similar to The Dark Pictures Anthology's cinematic mode, could increase accessibility, he also expressed a personal desire for Capcom to explore even more terrifying experiences, referencing Resident Evil 7 as a benchmark for suffocating horror. However, his primary suggestion remains focused on making the series less intimidating for players who, like himself, are sensitive to horror elements, allowing them to enjoy the narrative and gameplay without the overwhelming fear.