Resident Evil turns 30 and celebrates with an illustration that sparks a flood of criticism and division among fans

Resident Evil is one of the most iconic horror franchises in the video game world. As part of its 30th anniversary campaign—the anniversary is on March 22, 2026—Capcom has already begun the celebrations with a majestic artwork depicting several of its iconic characters, such as Leon, Chris, Jill, and Claire. However, there is one detail that has not gone unnoticed by fans of the legendary saga: Ethan Winters, the protagonist of the seventh and eighth numbered installments, is nowhere to be seen, while Grace Ashcroft, who will star in Resident Evil Requiem—a video game that will be released in 2026 and therefore has not yet been released—occupies a privileged position, which has caused equal parts confusion and outrage.

The artwork celebrating the 30th anniversary of Resident Evil is wonderful, but it has also outraged several fans

On Tuesday, August 19, 2025, Capcom unveiled a previously unseen illustration commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Resident Evil series, which can be viewed in all its glory on its official website. The drawing features several of the franchise’s protagonists, such as Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Ada Wong. This artwork has received much praise for its level of detail, as each of these characters has elements in their portion of the illustration that represent the nightmarish creatures they have faced during their adventures, such as Mr. X, the Lickers, Nemesis, and the Uroboros.

However, controversy has arisen over one particular choice: the inclusion of Grace Ashcroft alongside this pantheon of Resident Evil protagonists. Or rather, that she has been included at the expense of Ethan Winters, the protagonist of Resident Evil 7 Biohazard (2017) and Resident Evil Village (2021), especially since Resident Evil Requiem, the ninth numbered installment, a video game starring Grace, has not yet been released. This has prompted several comments that, while not inflammatory in the strictest sense of the word, do reflect a sincere concern: “Where’s Ethan?” or “It’s really ugly to have left him out.”

This peculiar decision regarding who appears in the illustration may have a lot to do with how Ethan Winters has been portrayed in official material for the video games in which he has appeared. Capcom has placed a certain emphasis on “anonymizing” him, giving him an aura of mystery by deliberately blurring or darkening his face. Strictly speaking, the only way players have been able to see him has been through data mining of the PC versions of games such as Resident Evil 7, as data mining allows unrestricted examination of the character model, which is normally not visible given that it was a first-person game.

Even so, some believe that a smart option would have been to include him in the illustration anyway, but without showing his face, as a recurring comic gag with the character. For example, he could have been holding his daughter Rose in his arms, with her covering his face, or he could have been in a pose that prevented his facial features from being clearly seen, as Capcom has accustomed us to in recent years.

The omission of Ethan Winters from the commemorative illustration seems deliberate, but it is by no means disrespectful to the character’s legacy. It’s not that Grace is taking his place, but rather that Capcom’s artists simply couldn’t come up with a suitable idea to add him alongside the others, maintaining his characteristic “anonymity.” Resident Evil Requiem will arrive on February 27, 2026, on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

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