Resident Evil is back – and it’s not holding back. At Summer Game Fest 2025, Capcom officially revealed Resident Evil: Requiem, the ninth mainline installment in the iconic survival horror franchise. Set for release on February 27, 2026, across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, this entry promises a chilling shift in tone, gameplay, and ambition.
The reveal trailer is loaded with teases: a ruined Raccoon City skyline, what appears to be remnants of the Raccoon City Police Department, and a fresh protagonist in FBI technical analyst Grace Ashcroft. As Grace investigates mysterious deaths, she’s forced to confront her past—literally. The voiceover in the trailer hints at a dark link between her and the resurgence of bio-organic horror.
What’s New in Resident Evil: Requiem?
- A New Heroine: Grace Ashcroft is no trained agent like Leon or Chris. She’s tech-savvy, vulnerable, and seemingly tied to something much bigger than herself. Her mother’s murder could be the key to the entire outbreak.
- Open-World Vibes? Fans spotted possible open-world mechanics based on sweeping shots of a desolate urban landscape. If confirmed, it could be the series’ boldest leap yet.
- A Fresh Villain: The trailer ends with a cryptic figure calling Grace “the chosen one.” Is this another Wesker-style megalomaniac? Or something more supernatural?
- Classic Horror + Cinematic Action: According to Summer Game Fest host Geoff Keighley, Requiem will balance “high-stakes cinematic action” with the series’ survival horror roots. Think RE2 Remake meets The Last of Us.
Resident Evil’s Evolution: From T-Virus to Trauma
While fans still love shooting zombie dogs in tight corridors, Capcom seems determined to evolve Resident Evil once again. The title “Requiem” suggests a swan song—possibly for older characters, or even for the narrative arc that’s spanned nearly three decades. It could also mean a soft reboot: a chance to welcome a new generation of players into the franchise while honoring the old-school fans.
But with speculation comes concern. Will this entry retain the tension that defined RE2 and RE7? Or will the emphasis on “cinematic action” edge it closer to RE6 territory, which split the fanbase?
Where Are the OGs?
So far, there’s no official word on whether Leon, Jill, or Chris will return. That doesn’t mean they won’t appear—Capcom loves a good surprise cameo. But all signs point to Grace being the primary (and possibly sole) playable character.
Still, the trailer’s voiceover leaves breadcrumbs: “I know now that you’re the one I’ve been searching for…” Could Grace be genetically engineered? Linked to Umbrella? Connected to past experiments?
Tying It Back to Capcom’s Master Plan
Capcom has been building up to this. After the massive success of the RE2, RE3, and RE4 remakes (with RE4 Remake scoring a rare 10/10 on IGN), and the continued praise for RE7 and Village, Resident Evil 9 feels like the culmination of all those ideas. Requiem may serve as the final chapter of this modern RE saga—or the beginning of a bold new one.
In fact, if you look at the franchise as a timeline:
- RE7 introduced Ethan Winters and first-person horror.
- RE8 took that world and expanded it with action-fantasy elements.
- Requiem might now be bridging that era with the older lore of Raccoon City and Umbrella—tying both ends of the series together.
Will Resident Evil 9 Succeed?
It’s got the setup: mystery, legacy, destruction, and a new face to root for. If Capcom sticks the landing—balancing narrative stakes with survival gameplay—it could be a franchise high point.
But one thing’s for sure: Resident Evil: Requiem has already pulled us back into the nightmare.
