The Capcom REX project aims to turn the RE Engine into what the company calls an “AI-generation game engine,” Capcom said at its Capcom Open Conference RE: 2026 on Oct. 2, according to IGN.
Programmer Satoshi Ishida outlined the plans in a presentation titled “The Outlook and Future of the REX Project, Further Evolving the RE Engine for the Next Generation,” per IGN. Japanese outlet GameBiz first reported the comments from the conference.
What the Capcom REX project changes
Ishida identified three challenges the Capcom REX project will address: games have ballooned in scope, making routine tasks extremely time-consuming; larger teams require an engine accessible to everyone; and integrating AI into development workflows has become “an essential condition for streamlining future development,” per IGN.
REX will unify RE Engine systems under “the world’s most common programming language,” simplifying use for both human developers and AI, according to GameBiz. Capcom will also open-source some technology to help external teams train AI models, IGN reported.
Ishida summed up the ambition simply: Capcom’s goal is a future where developers “create games together with AI,” according to GameBiz.
According to Gamereactor, the initiative builds in stages on the existing engine rather than starting from scratch, with goals that span efficiency, performance, tooling and quality assurance. In other words, the Capcom REX project is pitched as an upgrade to the tools Capcom’s teams already use, not a replacement for the people who make its games.
Where the Capcom REX project came from
REX is not new. Capcom first disclosed it as a next-generation successor to the RE Engine at its Oct. 27, 2023, open conference, according to Mp1st, which reported that the company wanted to keep the engine’s current features while fixing issues such as handling larger files and customization.
The RE Engine debuted with Resident Evil 7 in 2017 and later became Capcom’s primary engine, replacing its older MT Framework. The 2026 presentation puts AI integration at the center of the stated goals for the Capcom REX project.
What it means for fans
Capcom has repeatedly drawn a hard line against AI-made assets in finished games. At a March 2026 shareholders meeting, the company stated, “We will not implement assets generated by AI into our games,” while committing to leverage AI to enhance efficiency and productivity in development processes spanning graphics, sound and programming.
Shinichi Inoue, VP of game development platform and AI solutions, reinforced the distinction in May, stating AI serves “not for creating art, but for unleashing the potential of creators,” per VGC. Inoue said Capcom aims to restore the collaborative process where teams “discussed interesting ideas, reached a consensus, and then brought them to life,” with the ultimate goal of building “a medium that facilitates collaboration.”
The Capcom REX project targets faster development workflows rather than AI-generated content. The engine has underpinned Capcom’s biggest releases since Resident Evil 7 arrived in 2017.
Background
Capcom released Resident Evil Requiem, Pragmata and Onimusha: Way of the Sword in 2026, all built on the RE Engine.
Separately, Resident Evil executive producer Jun Takeuchi said the franchise is being developed on “two tracks” to prepare for when remakes reach parity with the series’ current entries, Nintendo Wire reported Oct. 1.
What’s next
Capcom has not announced a rollout timeline for REX. Reports of the presentation do not say which upcoming games will use the new tools, or how much of the work will reach outside studios through Capcom’s open-source plans. For now, the announcement is a statement of direction rather than a product launch.
Reporting from IGN, VGC, Mp1st and Gamereactor contributed to this story.
