Capcom released the first Resident Evil game in Japan 20 years ago today — Biohazard, as its known in its home country, made its PlayStation debut on March 22, 1996. To commemorate the big birthday, the company uploaded an interview with longtime series staff member Hiroyuki Kobayashi, in which he recounts Resident Evil's first two decades.
The video above reminds fans of the series' lasting impact on gaming over the years, from its popularization of the survival horror genre to the critical acclaim of games like Resident Evil 4. Since its release 20 years ago, the very first Resident Evil has made its way onto various other consoles — including, just last year, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox 360 and Xbox One, in the form of a high-definition remake.
Capcom hasn't announced much in the way of other anniversary plans for the franchise's 20th year. In a press release, the company said it would upload more developer interviews in celebration of the anniversary throughout the coming months.
The developer will also launch remastered versions of Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One later this year. Resident Evil 6, the first of the ports — Capcom is releasing them in reverse chronological order — will arrive next week on March 29.
Also in the pipeline is Umbrella Corps, a team-based shooter. That game will be out on PlayStation 4 and Windows PC sometime in May.
