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New Resident Evil Village update will feature accessibility options

The next Resident Evil Village update adds a free suite of accessibility features, including changes to the reticle, subtitle options, and more

Chris Redfield smiles at Ethan Winters in Resident Evil Village

A free Resident Evil Village update is releasing alongside Village’s Winter’s expansion on October 28 and will add several accessibility options, Capcom announced on the official Resident Evil Twitter account. The update is, admittedly, a small one, but it adds some welcome options indeed. Chief among these is the ability to change subtitle sizes, colors, and backgrounds without using RE Village mods, which is handy considering how much of Village’s early game unfolds out in the snow. It’s hardly the best setting for deciphering small, white font, which is often difficult to piece together at the best of times.

Subtitles will also (finally!) show who the speaker is in story mode conversations, instead of just leaving you to identify the speaker by their voice. Capcom is adding closed captions and a permanent aiming reticle. Currently, the reticle only appears after you zoom in to aim, though it does tend to linger even after aiming, to the chagrin of some.

Capcom didn’t indicate whether they plan on adding more accessibility features in future updates, though seeing as there was also no indication the team planned this first update either, it doesn’t necessarily mean Village will only get this initial update.

Either way, it’s a promising step in the right direction for AAA gaming in general and Capcom in particular. It’s challenging enough dealing with miniscule font sizes and deducing who is speaking when you’re in an environment that’s not conducive to audio. But it’s a full-on barrier to enjoyment at all for those with disabilities, and frankly, it’s far beyond time that adding accessibility options started to become a relatively standard practice in development.

Village’s accessibility update is free, but the Winters’ Expansion will set you back $19.99. Shelling out gets you the brand-new story expansion following a grown-up Rose, no longer confined to a jar, as she navigates the complexities of her odd powers inherited from Ethan. It also introduces a hefty new update to Village’s Mercenaries mode, including playable Lady Dimitrescu and Punching Action Chris Redfield (not his official name).