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Capcom explains why Resident Evil is also known as Biohazard

Thursday 9-Apr-2009 10:19 AM The Japanese name switch is finally explained by those in the know.

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Resident Evil 5 isn't called Resident Evil 5 in Japan. It's called Biohazard 5, keeping in with the series tradition of Resident Evil for the Westerners and Biohazard for the Japanese. But why?

"In late 1994, Capcom Entertainment in the US was starting to ramp up marketing plans for the game that would eventually become known as Resident Evil in the US," Chris Kramer tells GamePolitics. "Capcom Japan had let us know that the name of the game was going to be 'Biohazard' in Japan, but I pointed out to the person who ran marketing at the time that it would be next to impossible for Capcom to register the name in the US."

"As an example, I pointed out that a crappy DOS-based game had just come out in the US called 'Biohazard' (not to mention the New York hardcore band of the same name) and that we'd never be able to secure the mark. As a result, the head of marketing held a company-wide contest to come up with a new name for the game."

Incidentally, Chris Kramer voted against the eventual Resident Evil name, feeling it was too cheesy!

Ryan King