Survival in Resident Evil depends on more than skill. it’s also about having the right weapons and knowing how to upgrade them. The stronger your firearm, the better your chances of defeating mutated creatures, zombies, and bosses. Each game in the series offers a unique weapon upgrade system, allowing players to enhance firepower, reload speed, magazine capacity, and handling.
This guide explains how weapon upgrades work, which guns to prioritize, where to find upgrade materials, and how to maximize weapon damage.
What Are Weapon Upgrades and Why Are They Important?
Weapon upgrades are enhancements that improve a gun’s performance in combat against enemies in the game. Depending on the game, upgrades can be purchased from NPC merchants, installed through workbenches, or found as weapon attachments hidden throughout the environment.
Upgrading weapons is important because enemies become stronger as you progress in the game. A weak firearm won’t be enough against tougher enemies like Nemesis, Mr. X, or the Lycans. Enhancing your weapons allows you to conserve ammo, defeat enemies faster, and handle boss fights efficiently. Some upgrades also provide special abilities, such as increased critical hit chance or infinite ammo options after completing certain challenges.
Where to Find Upgrade Materials in Resident Evil?
Weapons need currency, parts, or hidden items to upgrade. These materials can be obtained through exploration, enemy drops, and treasure hunting. Here are some common upgrade resources that help you to upgrade your weapons:
- Pesetas (RE4) / Lei (Village): Earned from selling treasures, breaking barrels, and looting enemies.
- Weapon Parts: Attachments like scopes, extended mags, and silencers found in safes, lockers, and hidden rooms.
- Treasure Items: Jewels, gold bars, and artifacts can be sold to merchants for upgrade funds.
- Crafting Components: Used in RE2, RE3, and RE7 to enhance ammo and create weapon mods.
- Challenge Rewards: Infinite ammo and exclusive upgrades unlocked through in-game achievements.
Finding these materials early helps speed up weapon enhancement, making combat more efficient.
How Do You Upgrade Weapons in Resident Evil?
Each Resident Evil game has a different method for upgrading weapons. Some rely on merchants, while others require workbenches or hidden attachments. Knowing how to enhance your firearms is crucial for survival, better ammo efficiency, and handling stronger enemies.
Below is a breakdown of how weapon upgrades work in different Resident Evil titles along with step-by-step instructions.
1. Resident Evil 4 & Resident Evil Village
In Resident Evil 4, upgrades are handled by The Merchant, a mysterious vendor who offers weapon enhancements in exchange for Pesetas. Similarly, in Resident Evil Village, The Duke provides upgrade services, allowing players to improve firepower, ammo capacity, reload speed, and rate of fire using Lei. Upgrading weapons in these games is essential, as tougher enemies and bosses require stronger firepower to defeat efficiently.
Follow these given steps to upgrade weapons in RE4 & Village:
- Find the Merchant (RE4) or The Duke (Village): They are located in safe areas throughout the game.
- Access the “Tune Up” option: This opens the upgrade menu.
- Choose a weapon to upgrade: Available guns will be listed with their current stats and cost to improve.
- Select which stat to upgrade: Options include firepower, reload speed, magazine capacity, and rate of fire.
- Save money for Exclusive Upgrades: Fully upgrading a weapon unlocks a special boost (e.g., Red9 gets 1.5x firepower in RE4).
2. Resident Evil 2 & Resident Evil 3 Remake
Unlike games with merchants, Resident Evil 2 & 3 Remakes do not have a direct upgrade system. Instead, players must find weapon parts hidden in safes, lockers, and secret locations. These attachments increase firepower, stability, and ammo capacity. However, once a part is attached to a gun, it cannot be removed, so choosing the right upgrades is important.
Here are the steps to upgrade weapons in RE2 & RE3 Remake:
- Explore the environment for Weapon Parts: These can be found in offices, safes, and locked containers.
- Solve puzzles or find codes to unlock weapon mods: Some attachments are hidden behind locked safes or doors.
- Combine the part with the correct weapon: The Extended Mag is compatible with Matilda (RE2 Remake).
- Check inventory space: Some upgrades make the weapon larger, requiring more inventory slots.
3. Resident Evil 7 & Revelations Series
In Resident Evil 7, weapon upgrades are tied to Antique Coins, which are scattered throughout the game. Players must collect these coins and spend them in birdcage safes to unlock stat boosts and better weapons. The Revelations series, however, takes a different approach by allowing players to collect Battle Points (BP) and install weapon modifications at workbenches. Both systems emphasize exploration and resource management to enhance firepower and survivability.
To upgrade weapons in RE7 and the Revelations series, follow these steps: First, collect Antique Coins in RE7 or BP in Revelations. These resources are typically found in hidden areas or earned through combat. Next, use birdcage safes in RE7 or workbenches in Revelations to purchase upgrades or attach modifications. Equip attachments like scopes, stocks, or extended magazines to improve accuracy, damage, and ammo efficiency.
Which Weapons Can You Upgrade in Resident Evil?
Not all weapons in Resident Evil can be upgraded. Some guns are fully customizable, while others remain unchangeable. Typically, handguns, shotguns, rifles, and magnums have upgrade options, while grenades and knives do not.
Here are five popular upgradeable weapons in the Resident Evil franchise:
- Red9 (RE4): A powerful handgun with high damage potential.
- M1897 Shotgun (Village): Strong close-range power, ideal for crowd control.
- CQBR Assault Rifle (RE2 Remake): A fast-firing rifle perfect for mid-range combat.
- Broken Butterfly (RE4): A magnum that becomes incredibly powerful with full upgrades.
- Stingray (Village): A sniper rifle with fast reload and high precision.
Which Weapons Should You Upgrade First?
Not all weapons deserve upgrades. Some starter guns get replaced quickly, making their upgrades a waste of resources. Instead, focus on weapons that remain useful throughout the game.
For example, in Resident Evil 4, upgrading the Red9 handgun is smart because it becomes one of the strongest pistols. In Resident Evil Village, the M1897 shotgun is worth upgrading early because it handles large enemy groups effectively.
Weapons that have low ammo consumption, high damage potential, and carry over to New Game+ should be prioritized first.
How to Maximize Weapon Damage in Resident Evil?
Upgrading firepower is the most important enhancement, but there are other tricks to make your weapons even stronger.
- Prioritize Firepower Upgrades: The more damage per shot, the faster enemies go down.
- Use Weapon Attachments: Scopes, grips, and stocks improve accuracy and recoil control.
- Save Ammo with Headshots: Critical hits deal extra damage, reducing ammo waste.
- Unlock Infinite Ammo Modes: Completing challenges can remove reload limitations.
- Sell Unused Weapons: Convert them into upgrade funds for better guns.
7 Essential Tips to Get Materials for Weapon Upgrades in Resident Evil
Upgrading weapons in Resident Evil requires currency, weapon parts, and rare materials. Whether you need Lei (Village), Pesetas (RE4), or Battle Points (Revelations), gathering upgrade resources is key to making your weapons stronger and more efficient. Here are seven essential tips to help you collect materials faster.
- Sell Treasure Items: Find gold bars, crowns, and gemstones in hidden locations and puzzles, then sell them for quick cash.
- Break Crates & Loot Enemies: Destroy barrels, crates, and boxes for ammo, money, and resources. Loot enemy bodies for extra drops.
- Unlock Safes & Puzzle Locks: Solve codes and puzzles to access extended mags, stocks, and recoil dampeners.
- Hunt Animals (RE Village): Kill chickens, pigs, and fish to sell meat for Lei or use it for stat boosts.
- Replay Levels / New Game+: Farm money and upgrade parts by replaying missions or using New Game+.
- Complete Challenges & Side Quests: Finish Merchant Requests, bonus tasks, and challenges to earn extra cash and rare items.
- Invest Wisely: Avoid upgrading weak weapons early. Save materials for powerful guns like Red9, shotguns, and magnums.
Conclusion
Upgrading weapons in Resident Evil is key to survival and efficiency. Whether you’re buying upgrades from The Merchant, installing custom parts at a workbench, or hunting for hidden weapon mods, knowing how to enhance firepower will make fights easier and more rewarding.
Which weapon do you upgrade first in Resident Evil? Share your thoughts in the comments! If this guide helped, share it with fellow survivors!