Resident Evil 9 (officially titled Resident Evil Requiem) won’t hit stores until 2026, but Capcom is already deep into development on downloadable content. According to notorious Capcom leaker Dusk Golem, at least one DLC is in the works, and it stars Alyssa Ashcroft. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because she’s the mother of Grace Ashcroft, the main game’s protagonist. The catch? Alyssa died eight years before Requiem’s story begins.
This DLC leak raises fascinating questions about what Capcom plans to do with post-launch content. Alyssa’s death at the Wrenwood Hotel is central to Grace’s motivation in the main story, serving as the traumatic event that drives the FBI analyst back to the place where her mother was murdered. By making Alyssa the star of DLC content, Capcom seems to be planning a prequel expansion that shows players exactly what happened during those final hours.
Who Is Alyssa Ashcroft?
For longtime Resident Evil fans, Alyssa Ashcroft is a blast from the past. She originated as a playable character in Resident Evil Outbreak, a PlayStation 2 spin-off released in 2003 that let players experience the Raccoon City outbreak from civilian perspectives. Alyssa was a journalist investigating the city’s dark secrets, armed with lock-picking skills and a determination to uncover the truth no matter the cost.
Capcom brought Alyssa back into canon with small references in Resident Evil 7, where an Easter egg newspaper clipping showed she continued her investigative journalism career after escaping Raccoon City. Now, Resident Evil Requiem reveals she became a mother, raising Grace while continuing to chase dangerous stories. That career ultimately led to her death in 2020 at the Wrenwood Hotel, the same location where Grace returns in the main game.
Making Alyssa the focus of DLC is a smart move that honors the character’s history while filling in crucial backstory. Players going through Requiem as Grace will constantly be confronted with questions about what happened to her mother. The DLC provides an opportunity to answer those questions directly by putting players in Alyssa’s shoes during her final investigation.
The Wrenwood Hotel Mystery
The Wrenwood Hotel serves as Resident Evil Requiem’s primary setting, located in what remains of Raccoon City roughly 30 years after the nuclear detonation that ended the original outbreak. The hotel harbors dark secrets that claimed Alyssa’s life eight years before the main story, and Grace’s return represents both a professional investigation and a personal quest for closure about her mother’s death.
From what we know about Resident Evil Requiem’s story, something terrible happened to Alyssa at the Wrenwood. The main game’s reveal trailer showed flashback sequences of a young Grace watching her mother during what appears to be her final investigation. These glimpses suggest Alyssa uncovered something significant before her death, and that discovery likely connects to the grotesque creatures and conspiracy that Grace encounters in the present day.
DLC starring Alyssa would let Capcom explore the hotel’s history without the baggage of Grace’s personal trauma. Players could investigate the Wrenwood before whatever transformed it into the nightmare location it becomes, uncovering clues and connections that add depth to the main story. It’s the kind of narrative structure that worked brilliantly for Shadows of Rose, the Resident Evil Village DLC that expanded on that game’s mythology while standing as its own experience.
Dusk Golem’s Track Record
The source of this leak is Dusk Golem, also known as AestheticGamer1 on social media, a leaker with a complicated relationship with the Resident Evil community. He’s been right about major details before, including information about Resident Evil Village’s development and story elements. However, he’s also made predictions that didn’t pan out, and Capcom has publicly stated that fans shouldn’t trust leaks.
In this particular case, Dusk Golem claims he’s heard about the Alyssa DLC multiple times from different sources, which suggests the information has substance. The fact that he’s willing to be specific about which character the DLC stars rather than making vague claims about “post-launch content” lends additional credibility. Still, nothing is confirmed until Capcom makes an official announcement.
It’s worth noting that planning DLC before a game’s release isn’t unusual, especially for major franchises. Resident Evil Village had the Shadows of Rose expansion in development well before the base game launched, and it released about two years after the main game. If Capcom is following a similar timeline for Requiem, an Alyssa-focused DLC could arrive sometime in 2028.
What Would Alyssa DLC Look Like?
The original Born from a Wish episode in Silent Hill 2 took about 30 to 60 minutes to complete, but modern DLC expectations are much higher. If Capcom follows the Shadows of Rose model, we’re looking at a 2-4 hour experience that significantly expands the game’s lore while introducing new gameplay elements or mechanics.
As a journalist rather than a trained combatant, Alyssa would play very differently from Grace. Where Grace is an FBI analyst with firearms training, Alyssa’s strength comes from investigation, deduction, and resourcefulness. The DLC could emphasize stealth and puzzle-solving over combat, creating a more vulnerable horror experience that contrasts with the main game’s approach.
There’s also the question of how the DLC ends. We know Alyssa dies at the Wrenwood Hotel, which means the DLC is building toward a predetermined tragic conclusion. That creates narrative challenges but also opportunities. Games rarely force players to experience a protagonist’s death, and doing so effectively could make the DLC emotionally impactful in ways typical survival horror can’t achieve.
The Bigger Picture for Requiem
Having DLC already in development suggests Capcom has confidence in Resident Evil Requiem’s commercial potential. The company wouldn’t invest resources in expansion content if they weren’t expecting the base game to find a substantial audience. Given that Resident Evil Village sold over 10 million copies and the recent Resident Evil 4 Remake did similar numbers, that confidence seems justified.
Resident Evil Requiem represents a significant shift for the franchise by featuring a protagonist who isn’t a traditional action hero. Grace Ashcroft is described as introverted, easily scared, and experiencing horror from the same perspective as players. That vulnerability is intentional, creating a horror experience more aligned with games like Alien: Isolation than the action-heavy recent Resident Evil entries.
DLC starring Alyssa fits this approach perfectly. By focusing on a journalist investigating dangerous secrets rather than a soldier fighting bioweapons, Capcom continues emphasizing vulnerability and dread over power fantasy. It suggests the company is committed to this more grounded horror direction beyond just the main game.
When Could We See an Official Announcement?
Resident Evil Requiem is scheduled to launch in early 2026, likely around January or February based on Capcom’s typical release windows. The company usually reveals DLC plans either at launch or within a few months afterward. If the Alyssa expansion follows the Village DLC timeline, we might not see it until 2028.
However, Capcom could break that pattern and announce the DLC earlier, using it as a selling point for the base game. Knowing that Alyssa’s story will be explored in depth might encourage fans to pay closer attention to details about her during the main campaign. It would also demonstrate Capcom’s commitment to supporting Requiem long-term, which could impact purchasing decisions for players on the fence.
The Game Awards in December 2025 would be a logical venue for any major Resident Evil announcements, including DLC reveals. Geoff Keighley’s show has become the industry’s biggest stage for surprise reveals, and Capcom has used it effectively in the past. If the company wants to build hype for Requiem ahead of its early 2026 launch, announcing post-launch content at The Game Awards makes strategic sense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Dusk Golem say about Resident Evil 9 DLC?
Dusk Golem, a leaker known for Capcom-related information, stated on November 19, 2025 that there is definitely at least one DLC for Resident Evil 9 (Resident Evil Requiem) currently in development. According to his information, the DLC stars Alyssa Ashcroft, the mother of the main game’s protagonist Grace Ashcroft.
Who is Alyssa Ashcroft in Resident Evil?
Alyssa Ashcroft is a journalist character who first appeared as a playable survivor in Resident Evil Outbreak for PlayStation 2. In Resident Evil Requiem, she’s revealed to be the mother of protagonist Grace Ashcroft. Alyssa was murdered in 2020 during an investigation at the Wrenwood Hotel, eight years before the main game’s events. She also had small Easter egg appearances in Resident Evil 7.
Why would DLC star a character who dies before the main game?
The Alyssa DLC would serve as a prequel, showing players what happened during her final investigation at the Wrenwood Hotel that led to her death. This approach lets Capcom fill in crucial backstory about the hotel’s dark secrets while exploring what happened to Grace’s mother, which is a central mystery driving the main game’s narrative.
When will Resident Evil Requiem be released?
Resident Evil Requiem (Resident Evil 9) is scheduled to launch in early 2026, with most predictions pointing to January or February. The game will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Based on previous Capcom release patterns, any DLC would likely follow 1-2 years after the base game’s launch.
What is Resident Evil Requiem about?
Resident Evil Requiem follows FBI technical analyst Grace Ashcroft, who investigates mysterious deaths at the Wrenwood Hotel in Raccoon City, where her mother Alyssa died eight years earlier. Set roughly 30 years after Raccoon City’s destruction, the game emphasizes survival horror with a vulnerable protagonist who isn’t a trained combat specialist like previous RE heroes.
Is Dusk Golem a reliable source for Resident Evil leaks?
Dusk Golem has a mixed track record. He’s accurately predicted several Resident Evil details in the past, including information about Resident Evil Village. However, he’s also been wrong on some predictions, and Capcom has publicly stated fans shouldn’t trust leaks. In this case, he claims to have heard about the Alyssa DLC from multiple sources, which adds credibility but doesn’t guarantee accuracy.
Will Resident Evil Requiem have a VR mode?
Capcom hasn’t officially confirmed VR support for Resident Evil Requiem. The last several mainline RE games (RE7, RE8, and RE4 Remake) received VR modes, though sometimes as post-launch additions. Given the franchise’s commitment to VR and the success of those implementations, a PSVR2 mode seems likely but hasn’t been announced.
How long will Resident Evil Requiem take to beat?
According to Dusk Golem’s leaks, the game’s producer suggested it would be roughly the length of the RE4 Remake, while the director said it would have a standard Resident Evil game amount of content. Separately, Dusk claims the length is longer than Village but slightly shorter than RE4 Remake, putting it somewhere in the 12-16 hour range for a first playthrough.
The Value of Prequel DLC
If the Alyssa DLC leak proves accurate, it represents an interesting evolution in how Capcom approaches post-launch content. Rather than continuing the story forward or focusing on side characters tangentially related to the main plot, this DLC would deepen understanding of events that already happened, letting players experience the tragedy that shapes Grace’s entire journey.
This approach has storytelling advantages. Players going through the main game will constantly wonder what really happened to Alyssa at the Wrenwood Hotel. Environmental clues, documents, and flashbacks can hint at the truth, but DLC lets Capcom show the full picture without disrupting the main story’s pacing. It’s the difference between hearing about a tragic event and living through it yourself.
There’s precedent for this in horror gaming. Silent Hill 2’s Born from a Wish scenario let players experience Maria’s perspective before meeting James. The Last of Us Part II used flashbacks extensively to provide context for present-day events. Resident Evil itself has explored prequel content before, though usually in separate games rather than DLC. Doing it as expansion content for Requiem would be a first for the franchise.
Whether this DLC actually exists won’t be known for certain until Capcom makes an official announcement. But if Dusk Golem’s information proves accurate, Resident Evil Requiem players have something special to look forward to after finishing Grace’s story. Getting to walk in Alyssa’s shoes during her final investigation, knowing how it ends but not how she gets there, could be one of the most emotionally effective experiences Resident Evil has ever delivered.