Capcom Reportedly Working on New Dead Rising Game With Frank West as Protagonist

Capcom is reportedly working on a new Dead Rising sequel, with Frank West, the protagonist from the first game, set to return. The project is said to be a new mainline entry in the zombie action series and not a remaster or a remake of an older game. Last year, Capcom launched Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, an enhanced version of the 2006 game updated for the current generation of consoles and PC.

The new Dead Rising project has been in development since 2023 under the codename “Rec,” according to a report by MP1st published Friday. Citing sources, the report said the new Dead Rising game would feature photographer Frank West as the protagonist. West served as the protagonist in Dead Rising and Dead Rising 2: Off the Record and reappeared in DLCs for Dead Rising 2 and 3.

Dead Rising Sequel Details

The game is said to be a direct sequel to Dead Rising, but the information isn't confirmed yet. The report, however, did share details on the setting of the new project. The next Dead Rising game will reportedly take place in Hollywood, Los Angeles, with an “enclosed movie studio lot” serving as the primary location of the game.

The game's main villain, according to the report, will be an “extravagant and deranged film director” who puts Frank and other survivors of the zombie outbreak through various trials in order to shoot his “perfect movie”. The new Dead Rising game will also reportedly see the return of Psychopaths — individuals gone insane in the aftermath of the zombie outbreak.

As per the report, some of the Psychopaths will serve as minions to the director, including his right-hand man tasked with filming the action while strapped with a bomb. Frank will also be aided by other survivors, including actors and returning characters from previous games.

The report also sheds a bit of light on some gameplay features and mechanics. Frank West, as expected, will reportedly be armed with his camera. The time limit mechanic will return, as well, the report said.

Capcom has not confirmed a new Dead Rising game, but citing its own sources, VGC partially corroborated MP1st's reporting. There's no confirmation on the release window for the next Dead Rising game.

Last year, Capcom launched Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, an enhanced version of the original game for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X. The remaster came with improved graphics and control scheme, 3D audio support, and a host of other quality-of-life changes to improve playability.

While announcing Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, Capcom also confirmed it would focus on re-activating its dormant IPs that haven't seen a new release in recent times. “The company is working to further enhance corporate value by continuing to leverage its rich library of content, such as by reviving past IPs as Deluxe Remasters to make highly-efficient and high-quality titles,” the publisher had said at the time. Capcom is also working on sequels to Onimusha and Okami, two of its legacy IPs.