At this time, there is no official announcement or confirmation of a ninth mainline game in the Resident Evil series. Therefore, it is difficult to speculate on who the protagonist may be if the game is indeed in development.
That being said, if we assume that there will be a Resident Evil 9 and follow the pattern established by previous games in the series, we can make some educated guesses about who the protagonist might be based on past trends.
One of the defining features of the Resident Evil series is its rotating cast of playable characters. While the series has had some consistent protagonists, such as Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, the player’s perspective has shifted to different characters throughout the series, often giving players a fresh perspective on the game’s events.
If we look at the protagonists of the most recent Resident Evil games, we can see some patterns emerge. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard featured a new character, Ethan Winters, as its protagonist. The game also had a DLC featuring Chris Redfield as the protagonist. Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 remakes, released in 2019 and 2020 respectively, featured Leon Kennedy and Jill Valentine as the primary protagonists.
One potential hint for the protagonist of Resident Evil 9 could be the events of Resident Evil Village. Without giving away any spoilers, Resident Evil Village features Ethan Winters as the protagonist once again. However, the game’s story takes some surprising turns, and it’s unclear if Ethan will continue to be the protagonist in future games.
Another potential clue is the fact that Capcom has been experimenting with new gameplay mechanics in recent Resident Evil games. Resident Evil 7 introduced a first-person perspective, and Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 remakes both featured over-the-shoulder camera angles, similar to the perspective used in Resident Evil 4. This experimentation with different gameplay styles could open the door for new protagonists who have different abilities and playstyles than previous characters.
It’s also worth noting that the Resident Evil series has a history of introducing new characters who become fan favorites. Leon Kennedy was introduced in Resident Evil 2 and has since become one of the series’ most popular characters. If Capcom decides to introduce a new protagonist in Resident Evil 9, they could become the face of the franchise for years to come.
Ultimately, there’s no way to know for sure who the protagonist of Resident Evil 9 will be until Capcom makes an official announcement. However, by looking at past trends and the current state of the franchise, we can make some educated guesses about what to expect.