Resident Evil 7 players will receive at least one free piece of DLC alongside a slew of paid-for content, according to Famitsu. As per VG247, the Japanese mag reports that a new story scenario – Not a Hero – will be released as a free update to all owners of the base game at some point in the spring, although Capcom has declined to provide any further details. According to NeoGAF user Dusk Golem, however, Capcom states that protagonist Ethan won’t be in the starring role for Not a Hero, which will expand on the core narrative with a new character and a gameplay style different to that of the main story.
It emerged earlier this week that Resident Evil 7 will have a season pass containing seven additional gameplay scenarios, as well as one additional story episode, which is likely to be an expansion-sized update. Given the quality and length of DLC these days, it’s unrealistic to expect developers to give out DLC for free on a regular basis, but it’s nonetheless pleasing to see Capcom giving something back to its fans at no extra cost, especially given its past handling of such things. Although, if Not a Hero turns out to be an integral part of Resident Evil 7‘s narrative, it’s probably best not to lock it behind a paywall.
Resident Evil 7 releases for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC on January 24. Can Capcom’s reinvention of the survival horror live up the lofty highs of the classic originals, or will it turn out to be as disappointing as Resident Evil 6? We can’t imagine the latter is possible, but check back next week for our own definitive verdict.