Key Highlights:
- Resident Evil 2: Dead Shot is a new arcade-exclusive lightgun shooter based on the 2019 remake.
- Currently available only at Namco Funscape in Romford, UK, as a single test cabinet.
- Game splits the RE2 narrative into five episodes, with two playable now.
A surprising new entry in the Resident Evil franchise has appeared – but for now, it’s only playable if you happen to be near Romford, England.
As first reported by IGN, Resident Evil 2: Dead Shot, a cooperative lightgun arcade adaptation of the critically acclaimed 2019 remake, has debuted on a single cabinet at Namco Funscape, blending fast-paced rail shooter mechanics with Capcom’s modern RE engine.
Dead Shot reframes the survival horror classic as a cooperative shooter, allowing two players to take on hordes of undead in on-rails segments through iconic locations like the Raccoon City Police Department.
The game’s structure splits the original story into five linear episodes, with “Prologue” and “Hunted” currently available during the test phase.
Visuals and character models appear directly lifted from the 2019 remake, retaining the detailed environments and atmospheric lighting while adapting the gameplay for fast, responsive lightgun controls.
Players use a mounted firearm to aim, shoot, and reload, with reloading achieved by pointing the gun away from the screen, a mechanic familiar to fans of arcade shooters.
According to early hands-on impressions, the prologue introduces Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield as they reunite amidst the zombie outbreak and push toward the police station.
The player experience is punctuated by cinematic flourishes such as zombified hands smashing through menus and quick-time transitions between scenes.
Capcom and Bandai Namco have not officially announced any plans for wider release or regional expansion.
Currently, Dead Shot exists as a testing installation, meant to gauge public interest and assess gameplay balance before potential commercial rollout. The locked episodes suggest that development is ongoing.
It’s unknown how long the machine will remain operational at the Romford location. The cabinet itself is housed in a neon-lit kiosk, easily recognisable by its imagery of Leon, Claire, and Ada Wong.
This marks the first time that Resident Evil 2 has received a dedicated arcade adaptation, and while the genre shift limits narrative interactivity, the title seems poised to appeal to both nostalgic fans and newcomers enticed by quick-fire gameplay and local co-op.
Dead Shot emerges during a busy period for the Resident Evil brand. Resident Evil: Survival Unit, a mobile team-based title featuring franchise veterans like Jill Valentine and Barry Burton, is scheduled to launch in 2025.
Meanwhile, Resident Evil: Requiem, the next mainline entry, is due in February 2026 and promises to return to a post-Outbreak Raccoon City, starring Grace Ashcroft, daughter of RE Outbreak‘s Alyssa Ashcroft.
Capcom is also preparing for the franchise’s 30th anniversary in 2026, with early materials from Requiem teasing the reappearance of iconic locations, including a devastated RCPD.
The timing of Dead Shot’s test rollout, reintroducing players to Raccoon City through an arcade lens, appears to align with these broader plans.
For now, Resident Evil 2: Dead Shot remains a local curiosity – a remix of familiar characters and locations, hidden in plain sight on the edge of London. Whether this lightgun experiment becomes a global staple or a collector’s rarity depends entirely on its early reception.