In the latest trailer for Resident Evil Requiem, seasoned agent Leon S. Kennedy appears to miss every shot he takes, leading fans to point fingers at Nintendo for possible censorship. The trailer debuted during yesterday's Nintendo Partner Direct, offering a new glimpse at the upcoming survival horror game, which pairs rookie agent Grace Ashcroft with the veteran zombie hunter. However, viewers noted that Leon's performance in the footage makes him seem like a novice, as he fails to hit any targets.
During the showcase, scenes showed Leon kicking zombies to the ground but then firing shots that go wide, even missing with a rifle aimed at a tree and a chainsaw that only grazes furniture. Online discussions quickly erupted, with many attributing this to Nintendo's efforts to keep the content appropriate for all audiences. One user, nin10doland, commented on social media, 'Nintendo making Leon miss every shot and attack to keep the show PG is so funny,' sparking a thread of reactions. Others, like NikTek and HuhShalien, joked about the frustration behind the scenes and questioned Leon's experience.
Although the Partner Direct was rated for an 18+/Mature audience, some fans suggested the footage might have been taken from the Japanese version of the stream, where Resident Evil games often face censorship to reduce gore and violence. This isn't the first time such edits have occurred in a Nintendo Direct; users recalled similar instances in trailers for games like The Great Circle and Hitman, where action was toned down to avoid showing explicit content. VBandit47 added, 'This is also why the initial reveal for The Duskbloods from FromSoftware looked super underwhelming—they couldn't show anything core to the Soulsborne experience without blood.'
Beyond Leon's aim, criticism also targeted his new amiibo figurine, with fans mocking its facial design on platforms like Reddit. Comments ranged from comparing it to 'hot chocolate chocolates' to calling it a 'fake Temu Amiibo.' Last month, the game's director mentioned that the female staff had worked hard to make Leon 'heart-throbbing,' but the amiibo's reception suggests otherwise. Resident Evil Requiem is set to launch on February 27 for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
