How to play new Resident Evil Village demo: Release date, pre-loading, more

A brand new demo has been announced for Resident Evil Village, with PS4 and PS5 users getting early access to explore both the village and Castle Dimitrescu locations.

Hype for Capcom’s next installment in their smash hit horror-survival franchise is at a fever pitch, after the Resident Evil Showcase on April 15, 2021, showed off loads of new footage and confirmed the return of the beloved Mercenaries mode.

One of the biggest announcements, though, was that a new Village demo will be available for fans to play ahead of the game’s release on May 7, 2021. It follows in the footsteps of the ‘Maiden’ demo that launched in January 2021.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new Resident Evil Village gameplay demo – because the release schedule is a little confusing.

When is the Resident Evil Village demo released?

The new demo gives players a chance to visit Castle Dimitrescu.

In the weeks leading up to Resident Evil Village’s launch, fans will get three separate opportunities to experience a gameplay demo that allows them to explore both Castle Dimitrescu and the creepy village that surrounds it.

PlayStation owners will get priority, being able to play through two 30-minute demos in April, before a full 60-minute demo is made available to all consoles at the beginning of May, just a week before the game releases.

The Resident Evil Village demo only needs to be downloaded once, and will only be available to play in the three windows listed below, so make a note of the specific dates and times or you might miss out on the action.

Village Demo release date

This first demo is available exclusively for PS4 and PS5 users. It will allow players to experience the snow-covered remnants of the game’s titular village for a 30 minute period.

North America: April 17, 5PM to April 18, 1AM PDT
Europe: April 18, 7PM to April 19, 3AM CEST
Asia: April 18, 5PM to April 19, 1AM HKT

Castle Demo release date

This second demo, which is also available exclusively for PS4 and PS5 users, will place you into the halls of Castle Dimitrescu, with 30 minutes to explore as much of the castle as you can.

North America: April 24, 5PM to April 25, 1AM PDT
Europe: April 25, 7PM to April 26, 3AM CEST
Asia: April 25, 5PM to April 26, 1AM HKT

Village & Castle Multiplatform Demo release date

The final demo will be available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, PC (Steam), and Stadia. In this 60-minute experience, players will be given the choice to explore either the village or the castle.

North America: May 1, 5PM to May 2, 5PM PDT
Europe: May 2, 2AM to May 3, 2AM CEST
Asia: May 2, 8AM to May 3, 8AM HKT

While the frost-capped village is an expansive environment that gives you a glimpse of what once was, Castle Dimitrescu is full of narrow hallways and cramped corridors that promise intense gameplay and dangers lurking around each corner.

How to get the Resident Evil Village demo

You can pre-load the Village demo in advance.

While Resident Evil fans will only be able to play the new Village demo during the specific dates and times listed above, it’s possible to pre-load the demo ahead of time to make sure you’re prepared and ready to go.

Here’s how to play the Resident Evil Village gameplay demo:

Visit your chosen console’s store.

Search for ‘Resident Evil Village gameplay demo’.

Add the game to your library and download it.

Launch the game during the demo availability windows.

The gameplay demo is available to pre-load on PS4 and PS5 right now. It will be made available to pre-load on other consoles from April 30, 2021.

While you wait for the demo to go live, here’s everything we know about Resident Evil Village.

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