'Resident Evil 7' game, release date news 2016: 'full-scale offensive' planned for second half of year

Resident Evil: Umbrella Corps, the first game that is part of Capcom's future plans for the franchiseCapcom

The "Resident Evil" video game franchise has been silent for the past few months, although there is one game set to launch soon. According to a report from Games Radar, the latest financial statement from Capcom confirms that the upcoming title, "Resident Evil: Umbrella Corps," is just the company's introduction to a larger plan surrounding the franchise.

The financial statement reads, "In the fiscal year ending March 31 2017, the company is scheduled to release 'Resident Evil Umbrella Corps' (for PlayStation 4 and PC) of the 'Resident Evil' series, which marked its twentieth anniversary in March 2016, as warm up to the full-scale offensive planned for the second half of the year."

According to the report, there is no indication yet what this "full-scale offensive" is but there are widespread speculations hinting that this may refer to a brand new entry in the series. "Resident Evil 6" was met with mixed to negative reviews but has managed to sell well over 6.3 million copies worldwide, making it one of the company's most successful games.

If the company was to work on a sequel, a potential "Resident Evil 7," it may be a direct sequel to the franchise although the story has come to an end in the sixth official entry. There are possibilities that the new games may be spin-offs, such as a third entry in the "Revelations" games, or a full-scale reboot.

Fans also speculate that Capcom's plans may include the launch of "Resident Evil 2 HD," a full remake of the Playstation One original, as well as several other HD remakes and spin-offs that may lead to a resurgence of interest in the franchise. 

"Resident Evil 7," as stated in a report from IGN, was promised by Capcom last year and the company may be preparing to make an announcement or presentation for the new game. This may take place during E3 or after "Resident Evil: Umbrella Corps" launches on June 21.