PSA: Unlocking the Handcannon through Resident Evil 4 Remake Mercenaries is way easier than the normal method

Mercenaries mode offers another path to the classic weapon

Normally, the unlock process for the special handcannon weapon in the Resident Evil 4 remake involves beating Professional Mode. To even unlock Professional you need to beat the game, then actually clear said mode (which can be tricky). Well, forget all that! Here’s how to sidestep that entirely and get the handcannon through the newly-added Mercenaries Mode.

Instead of beating Professional Mode, you just need to S-rank every Mercenaries level with any character

After installing Mercenaries Mode, you’ll be able to choose the Village stage and Leon as a playable character.

If you want to unlock the handcannon through Mercenaries, your job is to get an S rank on every stage (all three, at launch). As a reminder, getting an S rank only requires a score of 200,000 points or more. This might seem like a lot, but if you keep killing enemies and keep your combo up, you’ll be able to reach a consistent S rank flow even after a few attempts.

After reaching that milestone, the final results screen will notify you that the handcannon is now unlocked, and can be purchased from the extra content shop for 1,000 CP (challenge points). After you unlock it, you’ll be able to find it in your storage container via in-game typewriters.

If you’re having trouble getting S ranks in the Resident Evil 4 remake and need some pointers:

• We have a full breakdown on S ranks in Resident Evil 4 remake’s Mercenaries mode here
• We also have a full tips guide for every character, so you can figure out how to climb up to an S rank