Rumor: Resident Evil 4 for iPhone accidentally released, quickly pulled

by Randy Nelson { Jul 13th 2009 at 8:30PM }

Japanese iPhone / iPod Touch app site AppBank was evidently able to download a copy of Resident Evil 4: Mobile Edition from the region's App Store before it was pulled down, as evidenced by gameplay video and screenshots taken by the site. Touch Arcade picked up on the news, but details beyond the quasi-leaked media are scant. It appears that the game is -- as its title suggests -- a mobile version of RE4, and from the video it's clear that players have full control over Leon Kennedy's movement via an on-screen thumbstick, entering aiming mode when another icon is pressed.

We've put in word to Capcom's US division to find out exactly what we're looking at and how it seemingly slipped out. In the meantime, check out AppBank's video after the break.

[Via Touch Arcade; thanks, MagikOvenMit!]

Tags: app-store, apple, capcom, iphone, resident-evil, resident-evil-4, resident-evil-4-mobile, rumor

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

ArchiGamer Reaches Level 20!!!! @ Jul 13th 2009 8:37PM

PC gamers are going to be pissed about the tag.....

ArchiGamer Reaches Level 20!!!! @ Jul 13th 2009 8:38PM

Never mind, I see we have a PC tag too. Finally, right?

Sly @ Jul 13th 2009 8:38PM

no, there's a PC tag too.

Sly @ Jul 13th 2009 8:39PM

dang...

ArchiGamer Reaches Level 20!!!! @ Jul 13th 2009 8:43PM

I know that this way off topic, bu I find weird that there is an iPhone tag, it not really a gaming console. I mean its like adding a N-Gage tag as well, though its dead now....wait, is that why we have that tag now??

sony boy @ Jul 13th 2009 8:51PM

iphone is a phone. nobody uses it for games like RE.

Sly @ Jul 13th 2009 8:51PM

the N-gage never really deserved it since it failed hard. the iphone is a gaming device, no matter what people say. a lot of the games suck, but it definitely has worthwhile games. this looks like one of em.

ArchiGamer Reaches Level 20!!!! @ Jul 13th 2009 8:56PM

I know this may be a bit biased, but I never would consider phone as gaming platforms such as the iPhone, its main purpose is to serve as a phone not a game console and there more of a cheap distraction with no real substance. The reason we have the DS and PSP is for playing games on the go, and are designed more of gaming platforms from the get-go unlike the iPhone.

Nerdy Desi @ Jul 13th 2009 9:01PM

Was there a PC tag and it was removed, I don't see it.

Come on Joystiq, you have a tag just for the IPhone but not PC? : (

Sly @ Jul 13th 2009 9:08PM

@Cosmo

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/13/now-playing-july-12-18-2009/

a post from today with the PC tag on it.

Sly @ Jul 13th 2009 9:10PM

and archi, a lot of the iphone's games ARE cheap distractions. but they're still games nonetheless. and the iphone does have some good games, particularly tower defense games and RTSes.

Nerdy Desi @ Jul 13th 2009 9:13PM

Thanks Sly, first time I ever saw the tag, was it just a recent addition?

Sly @ Jul 13th 2009 9:15PM

i have no idea, today was the first time i saw the tag itself, but you could get joystiq to display PC posts only before.

Levi @ Jul 14th 2009 3:32PM

I gotta give my new two cents on the "iPhone as a legitimate gaming platform" argument: I always considered iPhone to be less than a gaming platform, and I still do, as I don't think I'd buy one just for the games... However, it's getting harder to argue against it with games like Worms and *especially* RE4. I think RE4 will be the first example of a game that meets or exceeds the PSP. When people say games on the iPhone are just as good as a PSP game, aside from maybe Rolando, I just tell them to compare any of the PSP Metal Gear games to Metal Gear Touch, then tell me it's just as good. But RE4 on (presumably) a 3GS may change my statement. In that regard, I think my new opinion is that the 3GS has the potential to reach "gaming handheld" status due to it's higher graphical performance allowing higher caliber titles like RE4 to run smoothly.

BunnySlapper @ Jul 13th 2009 8:42PM

I sucked at aiming on the first one, now you're telling me I'd have to aim with those tiny icons on a 2 inch screen? Yeah right...

Roto13 @ Jul 13th 2009 10:14PM

I'm assuming you aim by poking.

Roto13 @ Jul 13th 2009 10:14PM

Oh, wait, that's a video. :P

Roto13 @ Jul 13th 2009 10:16PM

Wow. What a stupid control scheme.

johnny @ Jul 13th 2009 8:44PM

I love my iphone but seriously if apple ever releases analog and button controls just imagine what could be with this thing? These controls work and i am used to them but nothing beats buttons for games. Come on apple you could crush psp.

Sly @ Jul 13th 2009 9:13PM

crush PSP? in terms of game quality, never. and in the gamer world, that's pretty much all that matters. if you mean sales, then yeah it would, but it wouldn't matter around here. the wii crushes the PS360 in terms of sales, but you'll find very few non-fanboys around here who actually thinks it's better than them.

Roto13 @ Jul 13th 2009 10:21PM

"Around here" isn't exactly important. The iPhone already crushes the PSP. It's just not primarily a gaming platform so it doesn't get as much attention from gamers or developers.

cloud858rk @ Jul 13th 2009 10:31PM

See: iControlPad

Kleptomaniac @ Jul 14th 2009 7:51AM

I don't know why sly was downvoted. The iPhone comes no where near the PSP in terms of games. Do you think any of the iPhone racing games could touch wipeout or GT portable? What about the MGS games? The PSP has full proper MGS games while iPhone gets an on rails shooter. The list goes on. And I own an iPhone and love it I think its a great phone, but a gaming platform to rival the PSP it is not. Its more of a rival to the DS for quick pick up and play small games.

Old_Snake @ Jul 13th 2009 8:43PM

Resident Evil 4 is a fantastic game, not sure how well it'd translate to iPhone though. What a life the game has ended up having

Nook @ Jul 13th 2009 9:15PM

no doubt, i remember the old videos of builds that got scrapped.
what a life indeed, but what an awesome game.

if this is coming to itouch, then might this not be what capcom was alluding to when talking about a re for psn?

wouldn't that be nice!!

Jacksons @ Jul 13th 2009 9:18PM

If you'd like to give the iPhone version a try, simply boot up the GC or PS2 version and work the controller only using your wang.

PN04 @ Jul 13th 2009 10:53PM

They mentioned the PSP game would be an original title so I doubt it'll be the same game as this since this is a port.

Shufflekingsasuke @ Jul 13th 2009 8:43PM

I want this!!!!!!!!

Chibi Chaingun - blackhivemedia.com @ Jul 14th 2009 8:27AM

Yeah it looks pretty cool!

Chris Miller @ Jul 13th 2009 8:51PM

Wow, that doesn't look half bad.

KEENMACHlNE @ Jul 13th 2009 9:10PM

ಠ_ಠ

Manly Mcbeefington (Mr. ESC) @ Jul 13th 2009 9:12PM

I wonder if they can port it to the PSP as well.

Chris Miller @ Jul 13th 2009 9:14PM

Yeah? It looks pretty damn good for the iPhone...

Sly @ Jul 13th 2009 9:13PM

didn't they say a resident evil game is coming to PSP at E3?

JoeTheBlow @ Jul 14th 2009 5:54AM

Sadly, it looks like just the mercenaries mode, or whatever the arena-survivor mode is called.

B3astofthe3ast @ Jul 13th 2009 8:51PM

"I will cut my own head off if Resident Evil 4 came to anything other than the gamecube."(paraphrased)

-Shinji Mikami

His head should be in little bits by now.

Cody @ Jul 13th 2009 10:40PM

Yeah.... The Gamecube (and all Nintendo systems) are pretty much the shit.

The Wii only gets as much hate as it does due to its massive success. It's comes with the territory.

Seriously though, the RE franchise single handedly kept my Xbox/Playstation friends wishing they had a Gamecube.