Resident Evil 3 Remake Comes to Apple Devices: Will It Break the AAA Port Curse?

Capcom has brought its Resident Evil 3 remake to iPhone, iPad, and Mac through the App Store on March 18. This latest survival horror offering runs on all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro models, and any iPad or Mac with an M1 chip or later, allowing players to experience Jill Valentine's escape from zombie-infested Raccoon City on Apple devices.

Like other Apple platform games, Resident Evil 3 follows a free-to-try model where players can sample a portion before purchasing the full game. To entice players, Capcom is offering a limited-time 67% discount until April 16, dropping the price to around $9.99 (£8.29 in the UK) from the regular $24.99.

The port comes with mobile-friendly features, including customizable touch controls and a new Auto Fire option that automatically shoots after briefly aiming at enemies. For those preferring traditional controls, the game supports various controllers across iPhone, iPad, and Mac platforms.

However, this release comes at a time when other AAA ports face a significant challenge on mobile devices. According to data from Appmagic, previous high-profile console ports have struggled significantly in the Apple ecosystem.

Resident Evil 2 Remake, which launched on iOS in December 2024, generated just over $100,000 in its first month. During its initial $10 promotional period, about 9,500 players purchased the game, but after returning to its full $40 price, only around 175 additional players bought in.

The pattern extends to other premium titles. Resident Evil 4 has earned approximately $530,000 since December 2023, suggesting fewer than 9,000 customers at its $60 price point. Resident Evil 7 performed even worse, making just $84,000 since July 2024. Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Mirage hasn't fared much better, generating about $496,000 since June 2024.

Among recent console-to-mobile ports, Death Stranding has been the relative success story with $581,000 in revenue, attracting roughly 14,525 players at $40 each. Yet these numbers pale in comparison to successful mobile-native games like Pokémon TCG Pocket, which reportedly grossed over $400 million within just 10 days of launch.

Industry analysts point to several factors behind this trend. The limited number of compatible high-end Apple devices reduces the potential customer base. Additionally, mobile gamers have grown accustomed to free-to-play models or lower-priced premium games, making the $40-60 price tags of these ports a significant barrier.

Despite Apple prominently featuring these games in keynotes and on the App Store to showcase its hardware capabilities, the commercial results have been underwhelming. The cross-progression feature allowing seamless play between iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices hasn't been enough to drive adoption.

The question remains whether Resident Evil 3, with its similar promotional pricing and improved mobile features, can break this pattern and find commercial success where other AAA ports have failed. For Capcom and other publishers considering mobile ports, the answer may determine future investment in bringing console experiences to Apple devices.