How to play the limited-time Resident Evil Village demo

Resident Evil Village is out very soon. Even better, you’ll have another chance to try it before launch.

Following the well-received Maiden demo, the horror game is getting a multiplatform demo across every system it will be on. That said, the demo is limited-time and different depending on the platform you are playing on, so it’s a bit confusing.

If you’re trying to wrap your head around how this demo works, we’ve rounded up everything you’d want to know about the Resident Evil Village demo. That includes when it begins, what the demo covers, and more!

What platforms is the Resident Evil Village demo on?

Versions of the Resident Evil Village demo will be available across PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Google Stadia. That’s every platform that the final game will be on at launch! This version of the demo gives players 60 minutes to play parts of both the castle and village levels.

While that version of the demo will be available at the same time on all of those platforms, PS4 and PS5 players will also get early access to parts of the demo. Two separate demos will give players the chance to play the castle level and village levels for 30 minutes each.

What time does the Resident Evil Village demo begin and end?

If you want to play this demo, there are three separate windows to be aware of:

• If you’re on PS4 or PS5, the Village early access demo will begin on April 17 at 8 p.m. Eastern and will run until 4 a.m. Eastern on April 18.
• The second Castle early access demo begins on April 24 at 8 p.m. Eastern on April 24 and will run until 4 a.m. Eastern on April 25. As a reminder, you will have 30 minutes to play those levels during those windows.
• If you’re not on PlayStation, you’ll have to wait a bit before you can play a version of the demo that contains both the Castle and Village levels for 60 minutes. It will begin at 8 p.m. Eastern on May 1 and will last until 8 p.m. Eastern on May 2.

Can I pre-load the Resident Evil Village demo?

Yes, you can! All three of the impending demos for Resident Evil Village can be pre-loaded. On PS4 and PS5, you can already pre-load the two early access demo opportunities. As for the multiplatform demo, it will be available for pre-load at 8 p.m. Eastern on April 29.

As all three versions of the demos are only available for a limited time, so you’ll definitely want to pre-load the demo. If you do, you’ll be able to play these demo as soon as they go live!

Resident Evil Village will be released on May 7, 2021.