Resident Evil 4 Remake Leak Reveals Over 600 Cut Voice Lines, Including a Nod to Village's Duke

A treasure trove of unused voice lines from Resident Evil 4 Remake has surfaced online, totaling over 30 minutes of audio. Among these, a particularly intriguing line suggests Capcom originally intended to link the game to Resident Evil Village.

The leak comes from prominent modder Keff0, who discovered 671 fully recorded voice lines and subtitles on the game's PlayStation 5 launch disc. These lines, which are absent from the PC version, feature dialogue from Leon, Luis, Ashley, and the Merchant.

One standout line from the Merchant has caught fans' attention, as it references a character that didn't exist when the original RE4 was developed in the mid-2000s. The Merchant says, "Ah, I see you're no stranger to villages. The Duke? Lad shows promise."

Resident Evil enthusiasts will recognize this as a direct callback to Village's merchant, known simply as 'The Duke.' Interestingly, The Duke also pays homage to the RE4 Merchant in Village, quipping, "'What're ya buyin'?' Haha, just something an old friend of mine used to say."

Capcom's decision to cut this line from RE4 Remake is a bit disappointing, as it would have strengthened the connection between these characters and added more continuity to the timeline, even if retroactively. However, inserting a modern-era character into one of the series' most beloved games might have been a controversial move, though we may never know the true reason behind the omission.

This isn't the only fascinating discovery from the RE4 Remake. Keff0 also found unused animations for the Merchant's death, indicating that players were originally able to kill him. His shop would close after his demise, and save data suggests he'd remain gone for the rest of the game. This would have aligned more closely with the original, but Capcom likely felt it was counterintuitive to this modern reimagining.

Like many AAA titles, recent Resident Evil games contain a wealth of cut content, including lines, scenes, enemies, and characters. Earlier this year, Leon's voice actor revealed that his favorite line in Resident Evil Requiem was ultimately scrapped by Capcom—a shame, as it was reportedly hilarious.

Looking ahead, fans have much to anticipate: a Code Veronica remake is slated for 2027, and a live-action Resident Evil movie directed by Zach Cregger is set to hit theaters this month.