Resident Evil 9 Requiem: A Return to Horror’s Roots
The first trailer for Resident Evil 9 Requiem has dropped, and it promises to reconnect with several major episodes of the horror saga created by Capcom.
Since its inception in 1996, Resident Evil has continuously evolved, much like its terrifying creatures, to become one of Capcom’s flagship franchises. With over 170 million units sold worldwide, the series continues to thrive, propelled by its regular reinventions. The shift towards more visceral horror with Resident Evil 7 (selling 15 million copies) and the success of Resident Evil 8 Village (11.3 million copies) demonstrated that the series knows how to reinvent itself, often painfully, yet always with style.
The remakes have cemented this comeback further, with Resident Evil 2 achieving 15.4 million sales, Resident Evil 3 reaching 10 million, and Resident Evil 4 matching that figure. Meanwhile, on the cinematic front, the Resident Evil franchise is also attempting another reboot, promising to be faithful to the lore. In terms of video games, Capcom made a significant impact during the Summer Game Fest 2025 with the announcement of Resident Evil 9 Requiem (stylized as RE9UIEM), set for release in 2026. Its first trailer marks a return to the franchise’s roots.
Resident Evil 9 Canonizes Outbreak
Resident Evil 9 Requiem will serve as a direct sequel to Resident Evil Outbreak, thereby officially integrating the 2004 spin-off (released in 2003 in Japan) into the main timeline of the franchise. In the Outbreak episode, players stepped into the shoes of Alyssa Ashcroft, an investigative journalist delving into Raccoon City and the wrongdoing of Umbrella Corporation.
In RE9UIEM, it is her daughter, Grace Ashcroft, an FBI agent, who investigates the mysterious death of her mother in an abandoned hotel. Armed with a license to carry, and haunted by the loss of a loved one, what does one do? One drives straight to Raccoon City to uncover the truth behind this catastrophe. Grace Ashcroft will thus be the playable protagonist in this Resident Evil 9.
A Return to Raccoon City
The most significant surprise in the trailer unveiled by Capcom is the fact that Resident Evil 9 will take players back to Raccoon City, twenty-five years after its destruction due to a nuclear explosion at the end of Resident Evil 3. While Raccoon City is an iconic locale in the Resident Evil franchise, players haven’t set foot there since the third installment—at least in terms of the narrative canon, as the remakes of RE2 and RE3 offered players a return to the Raccoon City.
The trailer establishes a post-apocalyptic backdrop with a city in ruins. One scene reveals a collapsed downtown area, showcasing the entrance to the infamous RPD station, now destroyed, along with its once-mythical statue, which now lie in ruins. This will be the first time that players can explore Raccoon City from a first-person perspective.
A New Heroine Linked to a Cult Classic?
The introduction of the new heroine, Grace Ashcroft, has also stirred excitement among fans, as her surname instantly evokes memories of the deranged twins from Code Veronica, Alexia and Alfred Ashford. Although Capcom has not confirmed anything yet, the naming coincidence between Ashford and Ashcroft does not seem coincidental.
The Japanese studio has consistently emphasized familial ties within its franchise, and it wouldn’t be surprising to learn that Grace is related to the twisted Ashford lineage. To recall, the Ashford family’s early inhumane experiments date back to the 19th century (with Veronica Ashford), so it is plausible that a branch of the family chose to distance itself by altering their surname.
It would indeed be a clever move for Capcom to weave a link between RE9 and Code Veronica. Code Veronica consistently tops polls conducted by Capcom regarding the most awaited remakes. Long overlooked despite its narrative significance, this classic episode could echo through Grace, thereby providing legitimacy to this new heroine.
Whereas Ethan Winters, the protagonist from the previous two installments, left some players feeling alienated due to his anonymity and lack of direct ties to the rest of the series, Grace Ashcroft would serve as a deliberate bridge to the franchise’s major characters and dynasties. Furthermore, numerous rumors suggest that Leon S. Kennedy could also be a secondary playable character in RE9.
Resident Evil 9 Requiem will be available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on February 27, 2026.
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