Dead Rising is one of the pillars of the zombie survival game. Launched in 2006, the franchise made an impression thanks to its offbeat tone, its limited time system and its open environments infested with the living dead. The first episode placed the player in a cordoned-off shopping center, Romero style, with the only escape through imagination… and objects found on site. From wheelchairs to golf clubs, anything could be used as a weapon.
But since the very mixed reception given to Dead Rising 4, released in 2016, the license was dormant. The development of Dead Rising 5 had even been canceled, suggesting that Capcom had definitively drawn a line under this saga.
Frank West returns, heading to Hollywood
It was the MP1st site which reignited the speculation. According to their information, a new Dead Rising game is in production. And it would not be a reboot, but a continuation in the continuity of the previous episodes, with the return of the emblematic character Frank West.
The plot would take place in a huge Hollywood film studio transformed into a death trap. Frank would be forced to survive ordeals staged by a sadistic director, determined to shoot his masterpiece… in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. The concept of limited time would make a comeback: if the survivors do not obey the director’s orders, everything explodes.
This tighter setting evokes a return to basics, after the overly vast environments of the third opus. A grand spectacle behind closed doors that promises a mix of tension, macabre humor and murderous creativity.
Development started since 2023 according to leaks
The project has not yet been made official by Capcom, but several clues suggest that it is very real. The remake of the first Dead Rising, released in 2024, received a positive reception, proof that interest in the series remains intact. This return to the origins could have served as a test to gauge the public’s enthusiasm.
According to the site’s sources, development of the new game would have started in 2023, which suggests a release by 2026, or even earlier. In the meantime, Capcom could continue down the path of remasters, particularly with Dead Rising 2, which remains one of the most popular opuses in the series thanks to its cooperative mode.
A risky bet but eagerly awaited
The return of Dead Rising is not without risk for Capcom. The series has always divided by its demanding gameplay, its deliberately absurd tone and its atypical mechanics. But that’s also what made it so charming. An episode centered on Frank West in Hollywood could well be the perfect relaunch: well-balanced fan service, an original setting and the promise of a different game in a video game landscape saturated with formatted productions.
We can only hope that Capcom makes the news official quickly, because the fans are already ready to embark on this new zombie massacre… with a camera or a giant figurine.