Resident Evil Requiem is one of the most anticipated games of 2026, as the next chapter of the long-running Resident Evil franchise. Following in the footsteps of Village, this monster-filled adventure will feature a young, inexperienced new protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, fighting for her life against an encroaching evil.
Here’s everything we know about Resident Evil Requiem so far.
Resident Evil Requiem – quick links
Resident Evil Requiem release date
Resident Evil Requiem will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on 27 February 2026.
All the big trailers so far
In the first trailer for Resident Evil Requiem, we’re introduced to protagonist Grace Ashcroft, and we also get a good look at the creepy, shadowy terrors she’ll face in her journey.
A second trailer for the game has also been released, showing off more of Grace’s childhood story, and what role her mother will play in the overarching narrative.
At The Game Awards 2025, we got yet another new trailer, which confirmed fan-favourite Resident Evil hero Leon S Kennedy will be part of the game, as a playable character.
Where does it fit in the Resident Evil timeline?
Resident Evil Requiem is the ninth mainline entry in the Resident Evil franchise, and it’ll take place around 30 years after the initial outbreak of the T-virus in Racoon City. This makes it the furthest along in the franchise’s timeline, barring Resident Evil Village‘s Shadows of Rose DLC expansion, which is set in the 2030s.
Who is Grace, the protagonist of Resident Evil Requiem?
Grace Ashcroft, the protagonist of Resident Evil Requiem, is an intriguing new character. Based on early details, she’s an FBI intelligence analyst ‘who demonstrates intense focus and insight in deductive reasoning and analysis’. She winds up facing off with all sorts of horrors when a mysterious case file brings her to a hotel with links to her past.
Notably, Grace Ashcroft is the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft, one of the sole survivors of the events of Resident Evil Outbreak. It appears Alyssa died years before the plot of Requiem and Grace will investigate this mystery in the game.
Resident Evil Requiem‘s plot and story setting
Here’s the official Requiem story breakdown, per developer Capcom: ‘Everything is set in motion when a body – the victim of an unidentifiable disease – is discovered in an abandoned hotel. FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft is assigned to the case. But the crime scene is at the very same hotel where her mother died eight years ago.’
‘Grace prepares to finally face the past and makes her way to the scene, but this one case leads to uncovering the hidden truth behind the outbreak in Raccoon City, the biological disaster that shook the world. Will this be the requiem that finally lays the memories of that abhorrent disaster to rest?’
There are a bunch of important details here. Firstly, the game will take place in Racoon City. Secondly, it’ll spotlight the events of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 in a major way, with the plot revisiting how the T-virus outbreak reshaped the city.
Leon S Kennedy is a playable character in Resident Evil Requiem
As confirmed during The Game Awards 2025, the iconic Leon S Kennedy will appear as a secondary playable character in Resident Evil Requiem. He appears much older in this game – Requiem takes place 30 years after the initial outbreak of the T-virus – but he’s still out there kicking arse and taking names.
During the third trailer for Requiem, Leon is seen performing all sorts of fancy moves, including a spin kick. He’ll have access to a gun in Requiem and also a chainsaw. It appears he’ll act as a protector of sorts during the game, paired with Grace, who has less combat experience.
Will other Resident Evil characters cameo in Requiem?
Resident Evil Requiem takes place furthest into the timeline of the Resident Evil games, so that means other heroes like Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield are well-established in their roles. But with 30 years passing, we don’t know where these characters have ended up and if they’re in a position to cameo.
For now, other than Leon, Capcom is yet to confirm whether any fan-favourite heroes will make an appearance in Requiem, although it does feel likely we’ll see more of them, given the Requiem subtitle, and Kennedy’s confirmed appearance.
Do you need to play other Resident Evil games before Requiem?
Resident Evil Requiem appears to link directly with Resident Evil Outbreak, which was originally launched for PlayStation 2 in 2003, as Alyssa Ashcroft was a major character in this adventure.
For a brief rundown, in this game, Ashcroft is depicted as an investigative reporter with lock-picking and subterfuge skills. During the events of Outbreak, she survives through the zombie-creating T-virus, and escapes Racoon City.
While Outbreak is linked to Requiem, it’s worth noting this game is only playable on PlayStation 2, and hasn’t been rereleased. Given this, we’d expect it won’t be strictly necessary to play, to enjoy Requiem. Any needed context will likely be delivered in the narrative, with Alyssa Ashcroft’s story simply being background lore.
As for the rest of the Resident Evil games, it seems likely you won’t need to play them, but knowledge of them will help, particularly given Leon will appear in this game. With Requiem revisiting events from Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 4, we’d recommend starting there (with the modern remakes) if you’re keen for the full context.
What to expect of Resident Evil Requiem‘s gameplay
Resident Evil Requiem will feature both first person and third person perspectives, with players able to swap between them, based on preference. (First person tends to be a bit scarier, as you’re locked directly into the action.)
Grace appears to be a younger, less experienced protagonist than we’re used to in Resident Evil games, and we expect her journey will reflect a naivety and helplessness in a way that amps up the horror. That should also elevate gameplay as a whole, as players will be forced into skirmishes against approaching horrors, while also reckoning with various environmental puzzles, exploration challenges and more.
When players take the reigns of Leon, we expect a more action-oriented experience, complete with gunplay, chainsaws and spin-kicking.
How scary will Resident Evil Requiem be?
Resident Evil games are technically of the horror genre, but in recent times, entries have skewed more towards action. When you’re armed with shotguns and handguns, and enemies can be blown away with a button click, there is a degree of power fantasy in the narrative, rather than outright terror.
Resident Evil 7 went for a different tone to its action-oriented predecessors like Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 4. With its rarer ammo, jump scares and gross-out terror, it was way scarier than other games in the franchise. Yet its successor, Village, dipped back into the action genre.
Based on what we’ve seen from early trailers, Requiem could be more akin to Resident Evil 7 in design, with a focus on shadowy jump scares, waking nightmares and helplessness.
When Leon is on the scene, that could shift, but only time will tell. For now, we don’t know how big his role in the game is, and whether he’ll distinctly change the tone from outright horror to action.
For now, we’d bet that if you’re keen to scare yourself silly, there’ll be ample opportunities in this upcoming game, regardless of any more action-oriented segments.
