Resident Evil Requiem Producer Finally Comments on DLSS 5 AI Controversy

3 weeks ago 8

Resident Evil Requiem Producer Take Shots at Nvidia Over DLSS 5 Grace

Published May 4, 2026, 10:09 AM EDT

Jake Valentine is a Staff Writer at DualShockers with more than two decades of experience covering the video game industry. Since 2004, he has written about games across news, reviews, guides, lists, interviews, and event coverage, with experience covering major shows, preview events, breaking news, and one-on-one developer interviews.

Before joining DualShockers, Jake contributed to Outrun Gaming, GameRant, and The Game Fanatics. He has also worked in editorial, brand management, and operations roles, giving him a broad perspective on both games coverage and digital media. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronic Media and Broadcasting.

Earlier this year, NVIDIA unveiled its new DLSS 5 AI-powered face technology. It was widely mocked by nearly the entire internet.

Here's how NVIDIA touted its new technology:

The DLSS 5 AI tech can change a video game character's face in real time, making them look like one of those bad AI "make yourself into a model" photos that people share on Facebook.

The problem, though, is that it looks beyond uncanny and unrealistic. To make matters worse, this is technology nobody is asking for. As the price of gaming hardware continues to skyrocket thanks to various economic conditions, this is just another unwelcome barrier in the world of gaming.

One of the "faces" (pun not intended) of NVIDIA's announcement was Resident Evil Requiem's Grace Ashcroft. The DLSS 5 AI technology removes any personality from her face, resulting in her looking less like a real person and more like some AI-slop you'd see on Facebook.

Resident Evil Fans Prefer the Original Grace Ashcroft Design, and Capcom Has Noticed

In an interview with Eurogamer, producer Masato Kumzawa spoke on the controversy. While he didn't comment directly on the matter, he did sort of tip his cap as to his thoughts on things.

He states that "a lot of players commented they really liked the original design of Grace and didn't want to see it changed." With Grace being a new character in Requiem, co-starring alongside fan-favorite and Resident Evil veteran Leon Kennedy, the positive reaction can be seen as a win for Capcom.

Kumzwa continued, saying that the positive fan reaction "meant we got the design right [and] points to the fact that Grace quickly established herself as a fan favorite, that people had such strong opinions on her design."

Meet The Star Of Resident Evil Requiem

Recent online activity has seemingly revealed the face model for Resident Evil Requiem's Grace Ashcroft

One possible reason for that positive fan reaction has to do with her reactions to the events of Requiem, and how well you see that as you play the game.

She's very emotionally expressive about the fear she goes through, being thrust into this intense experience. And it's something I think players have just really responded to; because she's so relatable, you root for her... you want her to get through this and be okay. I think that emotional relatability, in a horror game especially, is important.

Kumzwa's comments here are interesting because you can't help but wonder whether the same emotional expression would be visible through DLSS 5 AI tech. I feel like it's safe to say we'd miss out on what made Grace such a great character, and as a result, detract from the overall experience in Requiem.