Resident Evil Mobile Ports Make Unpopular Change

Capcom has now mandated an online connection for its three Resident Evil ports on Apple devices. The sudden change to Resident Evil 4, 7, and Village isn’t going down well with iOS, iPad, and iMac users, especially after these Apple ports recorded very underwhelming sales figures.

The launch of the iPhone 15 Pro lineup and its accompanying A17 Pro chipset last year brought forth enough horsepower to finally run AAA console games on a mobile phone. Many of these console-grade games launched on the iPhone 15 Pro in the months following its release, namely Death Stranding, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, The Division: Resurgence, Resident Evil 4, and Resident Evil Village. More recently, Capcom also released Resident Evil 7 on Apple platforms, allowing users to experience more of the iconic survival horror series on their iOS, iPad, and MacOS devices.

Sadly, though, statistics have shown that these AAA iPhone ports have commercially bombed, with Resident Evil 7 said to have recorded less than 2,000 sales a few weeks after it launched on Apple devices. Now, Capcom has implemented a controversial change to its Resident Evil ports on iOS that has stirred contention among fans. First discovered by users on Reddit’s iOS gaming community, a recent App Store update to all three Resident Evil games now incorporates an online DRM check-in at startup, preventing players from booting into them without an internet connection.

This means Apple users will face significant difficulties playing Resident Evil games on flights, or in areas that have spotty internet connectivity, such as underground train stations. Moreover, iPad users are at a bigger disadvantage, as many of them don’t opt for cellular connections, leaving Wi-Fi as their only option for internet connectivity. Capcom has yet to clarify the reasoning behind this restrictive online-only mandate for single-player titles, but fans reckon that it’s likely to combat piracy. Still, after Resident Evil 7‘s pitifully low sales on iPhone 15 devices, it’s improbable that this update is going to help matters in any way.

The ability to play AAA games on the go with a mobile phone sounds tantalizing, but the situation with the iPhone 15 Pro ports has proven otherwise. Lackluster sales, high battery consumption, awkward touch control schemes, thermal and/or performance issues in some titles, and now DRM check-in at startup for the Resident Evil ports massively diminish the prospect of AAA gaming on mobile phones. Future iterations of Apple hardware could improve upon some of these problems, but for now, those looking for a satisfactory handheld gaming experience should consider a Steam Deck or ROG Ally instead.