Warning: The following article includes major spoilers for Resident Evil Requiem.
The YouTube channel Sirloin uploaded footage of Resident Evil Requiem‘s bad ending, which features the sudden demise of Leon S. Kennedy, and commenters have been sharing their own reactions to experiencing his death in-game. In the bad ending, Leon helps Grace escape from a collapsing platform before the villainous Zeno puts a pistol to his head and kills him. It’s an emotionally charged moment, and it has players like emma_nutella58 noting that they would struggle to cope if this was the game’s canon ending.
Resident Evil 9’s Bad Ending Shook Players
A Truly Shocking Moment
While plenty of comments explain that Leon’s death isn’t canon, not everyone playing the game for the first time is aware of this fact. Right before the scene, Grace is presented with the option to either destroy or release Elpis, the mysterious final project of Umbrella Corporation CEO Oswell Spencer. If she chooses to destroy Elpis, the tragedy will play out immediately before the credits roll, but an option to try the other choice appears after the credits end.
Alfreddelcrow9941 claims that they “went ballistic” over the ending before realizing you could replay it, and destiney6013 shares that they “sobbed [their] eyes out” due to the fakeout. Stranger3549 asserts that a violent canon death for Leon “would break every Resident Evil fan’s heart,” a statement that plenty of comments back up.
Leon Isn’t Gone Just Yet
We’ll See Him Again
While I wasn’t reduced to tears by Resident Evil Requiem‘s bad ending, I had a similar reaction to many other players when choosing to Destroy Elpis the first time around. A well-earned death for Leon in Requiem would be one thing, but seeing him die so abruptly without any kind of happy ending in sight was another entirely.
Luckily, the true ending confirms that Leon S. Kennedy lives to fight another day, meaning there’s a chance he (and perhaps compatriots like Ada Wong) could return in future Resident Evil games. With Resident Evil Requiem‘s fake-out ending, Capcom is getting to have its cake and eat it too, shocking the community without leaving them upset and unhappy in the long run. After seeing Leon take a bullet to the skull, the admittedly clunky happy ending tastes all the more sweet.
- Released
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February 27, 2026
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases
- Engine
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RE Engine