Resident Evil 0, also known as Biohazard 0 in Japan, was initially conceived as a prequel to the original Resident Evil game. Development began in 1998 by Capcom, with a team led by Koji Kuroda and Masaki Kuroyama. The game was intended to explore the events leading up to the Raccoon City incident, which was the backdrop for the first Resident Evil game.
After community verification and leaks, a ROM image began circulating in preservation circles. What it contained was not a finished game, but a skeleton. Resident Evil 0 N64 Prototype Rom
: Character models (like the "blue zombies") were originally reused assets from the Resident Evil 2 N64 engine. Resident Evil 0, also known as Biohazard 0
: In early 2000, development shifted to the GameCube (then known as "Project Dolphin"). The retail GameCube version released in 2002 was built largely from scratch using a new engine similar to the Resident Evil remake. Key Prototype Features Resident Evil Zero - Ultimate Pop Culture Wiki After community verification and leaks, a ROM image
The concept for a prequel arose in 1995, shortly after the announcement of the Nintendo 64DD peripheral. Capcom initially planned to use the 64DD’s higher storage capacity to facilitate its ambitious "Partner Zapping" system—allowing players to switch between protagonists Rebecca Chambers and Billy Coen in real-time.