I can see the second part being accurate; Capcom was probably looking forward to remaking RE4 and wanted to release RE3 in the meantime to keep people satisfied after REmake2's success. They probably figured anything would be good enough to hold everyone over until 8 or REmake4. I mean, I still don't think it's a bad game/remake but I know I'm in the minority. Still, the theory makes sense to me.
My brother did finish the game for the first time some days ago and actually liked the game, saying it's a fun game but not near to re 2 remake, his final verdict was a 7.8...
He did like it because he dosent really remember the original game, after showing him some part of the original, his opinion completely changed, but he still like the game nonetheless... So it's seems the game can be liked by people who don't actually know the original game or don't Rember it
Also I just think that releasing a re game every years is going to destroy this series...
Infact re 3 was affected by this, re 3 was the re game for 2020, the game had to come out this year in any case, but could not came out after or during re 8 trailer...
the game has was already forgotten 2 month after release, Because all the lights went on re 8 , same reason why the game was released so soon while it could have been given more time to develop, and it could have came out at the end of this years, but it was impossible, because the game had to be released before re 8 trailer or people attention would have been devided between two re game...
I wonder what will happen when re 8 came out, will it be forgotten after few month just like re 3? Wil a re 4 remake or code veronica trailer be released few month after re 8 release?
I hope not, i hoe capcom will take at least two years to let the series beath and meanwhile update re 8 whit some dlc like they did whit 7