Capcom is taking Resident Evil in a new direction, and this time, it’s headed straight for your phone. Resident Evil: Survival Unit launches globally on November 18, 2025, for iOS and Android, marking one of the franchise’s boldest format shifts yet.

Developed in collaboration with JoyCity, the new mobile entry trades the familiar blend of horror and exploration for a real-time tactical experience. Instead of creeping through dark corridors, players will command specialized squads operating in the aftermath of the Raccoon City incident. The focus is on planning, positioning, and resource management—how to survive by strategy rather than reflex.

The announcement earlier this year surprised longtime fans who associate Resident Evil with cinematic tension, jump scares, and claustrophobic level design. The move to mobile and the change in genre sparked mixed reactions. Some were curious to see how Capcom could adapt its survival horror DNA into a strategy format, while others saw it as a risky pivot away from what the series does best.

Capcom says the shift opens up new storytelling opportunities, giving players a chance to explore smaller, interconnected stories within the broader Resident Evil universe. Familiar faces from the franchise will appear in supporting roles, along with returning locations reimagined for tactical gameplay. The studio hopes this format will deepen the lore by showing what happens between the franchise’s mainline disasters.

For all its experimentation, Survival Unit still leans on the franchise’s sense of dread. You’ll manage teams instead of a single protagonist, but the tone remains unmistakably Resident Evil—bleak, unpredictable, and full of looming threats. Every mission unfolds like a small survival scenario, with players deciding how best to balance aggression, defense, and scarce resources.

Whether fans embrace it remains to be seen. The mobile landscape is already crowded, and many longtime players remain skeptical of how traditional series translate to touchscreen formats. Yet Capcom’s track record with spin-offs, from Resident Evil Revelations to Resistance, shows it’s not afraid to experiment and test new audiences.

For mobile gamers, Survival Unit might be an easy entry point—a bite-sized tactical experience in one of gaming’s most enduring universes. For console purists, it’s an intriguing side story, a reminder that even after nearly three decades, Resident Evil is still mutating in ways no one quite expects.