Even if Capcom had already planned an online version of Resident Evil in 2000, Outbreak (aka Network Biohazard) was officially announced only at E3 2002. This beta version was much more ambitious than the game that we got in the end: originally there were about 20 playable scenarios, some of which were completely removed, notably a Dock stage and The Raccoon City Hotel, while others later appeared in Outbreak File 2, like “Flashback”, the episode located in the forest.
Of course, more levels meant more characters, and unfortunately they had to renounce to include personalities such as little girl with a gun (!), some UBCS members, the fan-favorite Hunk, a policewoman, and on so on. Their polygonal models are still inside the two outbreak games, and it is possible to access them using Gameshark codes.
Another feature prominent in the original trailer was a four player split-screen mode, probably dropped for technical reasons. At the end, Capcom decided to divide Resident Evil Online in two different games: Outbreak and Outbreak File 2. A File 3 was supposed to follow shortly, but Capcom never bothered with the series again.
Here we can also find the videos of the beta versions of the characters endings.
Thanks a lot to daisu1 for some of these images!
Beta Scenarios
The removed dock level.
This removed level was located in the Raccoon City Hotel.
The forest level that later became the “Flashback” scenario in Outbreak File 2.
This is the location of the Raccoon Hospital from Resident Evil 3. We don’t know if it was supposed to be a separate scenario.
This sewer was later included in the “Underbelly” scenario of File “2.
Beta Characters
Four Players Split-screen
Images
Videos