Capcom's latest Resident Evil promotional stunt is a bizarre fictional lawsuit from the Umbrella Corporation aimed at the makers of Cup Noodles

Resident Evil’s Umbrella Corporation has filed a fictional copyright infringement lawsuit against Nissin Foods, the Japanese giant best-known for its ramen noodles and the Cup Noodles brand (thanks, Automaton). As per the Japanese Resident Evil social media accounts, the Umbrella Corporation claims that Cup Noodles bear striking similarities to Umbrella Noodles, an in-game Easter egg that's appeared in multiple entries of the series (and presumably also pops up in Resident Evil Requiem).

The complaint posted is made to the "Raccoon City Superior Court" by the plaintiff Umbrella Corporation. The defendant is Nissin Foods Co., Ltd and their "infringement of rights pertaining to 'Umbrella Noodles' manufactured by Umbrella Corporation. The 'Cup Noodles' sold by the Defendant significantly infringe upon the Plaintiff’s intellectual property rights."

The joke is, of course, that Umbrella Noodles are a direct Cup Noodles tribute, and ape the distinctive red-and-white branding and even the font of the real product. The Easter egg first appeared in 2003's Resident Evil Outbreak, and since then has popped up multiple times, most recently in street ads around Raccoon City in 2020's Resident Evil 3: Nemesis remake

Amusingly enough, the lore of the series does have Umbrella Corporation being founded in 1968, three years before Nissin launched Cup Noodles in 1971 (though Nissin itself was founded in 1948). Good to know that Umbrella's mad scientists had some delicious side-projects while developing gnarly monsters, I suppose.

The lawsuit is accompanied by a mock commercial featuring an Umbrella scientist talking to consumers of Cup Noodles who accidentally bought that brand instead of Umbrella Noodles. The scientist suggests that, by adding basil sauce and tripe to Cup Noodles, the mix replicates Umbrella Noodles with a 99.9% success rate. Umbrella employees reported that the mix was… tasty, with a side of itchiness.

I haven't seen any ads yet in the game, but presumably Umbrella Noodles are going to be turning up in Requiem. There's some speculation about whether Capcom might be teasing a future collaboration with Nissin here, though I wonder how many folk will be queuing up to buy noodles ostensibly made by a bioweapons company.

Resident Evil Requiem releases tomorrow on Steam. PC Gamer's Elie Gould found Requiem mostly excellent on the way to awarding a shiny 92%, saying the game's mix of styles "makes for some of the most fun I've had in Resident Evil and feels like you're playing a highlight reel of the best moments in the series."