Recently, over 30 minutes of cut voice lines from Resident Evil 4 Remake were leaked online. These files, extracted from the PS5 disc by renowned modder Keff0, include 671 complete voice lines and subtitles featuring dialogues from Leon, Luis, Ashley, and the Merchant. These lines do not appear in the PC version.
Voice Line Video:
One of the most notable cuts is a line from the Merchant: "Ah, seems you're no stranger to the village. The Duke? That kid has potential."
Fans familiar with the series immediately connected this to the Duke, the merchant character from Resident Evil Village. Interestingly, the Duke references the RE4 Merchant while players browse his wares, mimicking his tone: "'Got anything for sale?' Haha, something an old friend of mine used to say."
Capcom's decision to cut this line is somewhat regrettable—had it been kept, it would have served as a subtle bridge between the two games, enhancing the continuity of the series' timeline. However, inserting a character from a modern Resident Evil title into one of the series' most beloved classics might have sparked backlash from some fans. The exact reason behind Capcom's final decision to remove this dialogue may never be known.
This wasn't Keff0's only discovery—he also uncovered an unused animation of the Merchant being killed, suggesting that players were originally intended to be able to kill him. Doing so would permanently close his shop, removing him from the rest of the game. This design harkens back to the original 2005 Resident Evil 4, but the development team likely felt it conflicted with the remake's overall design philosophy and ultimately abandoned the idea.
Like many AAA titles, recent entries in the Resident Evil series contain a wealth of cut content, including voice lines, scenes, concept art, enemies, and characters. Earlier this year, Leon's voice actor revealed that his favorite line from Resident Evil: Requiem was also cut by Capcom—unfortunately, it was quite hilarious.