Resident Evil 4 remake devs explain ‘missing’ chainsaw controller
There have been some weird and wonderful peripherals over the years, with the likes of the Donkey Konga bongos and NES Power Glove standing out from the crowd. At the time, the now-classic Wii Remote also divided fandom.
However, among all the maracas, fishing rods, and guns, the Resident Evil 4 chainsaw controller goes down in history as one of the most inventive. If you were looking forward to revving up a new-gen chainsaw for Capcom's Resident Evil 4 remake, we've got some bad news.
Why won't the Resident Evil 4 remake have a chainsaw controller?
In 2005, NubyTech manufactured and released the Resident Evil 4 chainsaw controller, with the yellow variant for GameCube version and red for the PlayStation 2. They've become collector's items over the years and it's easy to see why.
The chainsaw controller didn't add anything to your experience, and eventually, NubyTech's claims it improved performance were debunked. It was actually pretty cumbersome and took a lot of getting used to, but with the Resident Evil 4 remake just around the corner, we were hoping for a souped-up version.
Speaking to IGN, Capcom Producer Yoshiaki Harabayashi said, "So first of all, thank you for remembering the controller. I mean, it was a great controller back in the day, but unfortunately we're not able to recreate the Chainsaw Controller now."
Unsurprisingly, the big hurdle is the fact the Resident Evil 4 remake is landing on multiple platforms and multiple generations. Having to come up with a PS4 versions, PS5 DualSense, Xbox Series, and PC is a lot of effort.
Added to this, Harabayashi said, "And of course, the team focused a lot on the actual development of the game, so that took a lot of the time. So unfortunately, no Chainsaw Controllers as of now."
What Else Is New In The Resident Evil 4 Remake?
This isn't the only setback the Resident Evil 4 chainsaw controller has faced. Even though the prototypes had a sound chip inside that played the sound of a revving chainsaw, these were taken out of the released versions for fear it would interfere with gameplay.
Even if you can't physically mangle enemies with your chainsaw controller, the infamous Chainsaw Man still has a place in the Resident Evil 4 remake. The gameplay footage has shown off a tense battle where Leon combated Chainsaw Man using just his knife.
More than just giving rural Spain a fresh coat of blood splatters, Resident Evil 4 looks like a whole new experience. As well as overhauling Ashley Graham, there are new enemies, quick-time events are being reduced, and you can explore new side quests involving the Merchant.
Still, the core of what made Resident Evil 4 one of the best horror games of all time is here - even if we can't play using a chainsaw controller. If this version gets as many ports as the OG, there's plenty of time for the devs to release one further down the line.