This year’s Summer Game Fest will go down in history! Among the sea of announcements and trailers, Capcom dropped a true bombshell that fans around the world have been waiting for with bated breath. The company has officially announced Resident Evil 9, or rather Resident Evil: Requiem. The first dark trailer not only revealed the release date but most importantly shocked everyone with its setting—one that seemed to be a forever-closed chapter in the series’ history.

Trailer and First Details – Welcome to Requiem

As expected, the game is being developed on Capcom’s flagship RE Engine, ensuring photorealistic visuals. The trailer, steeped in a thick, oppressive atmosphere, introduced a new character—a woman named Grace. From the brief dialogue, it seems she will be at the heart of the tragic events. Her superior informs her of her mother’s murder, which will most likely drive the entire plot—a personal mission of revenge or a search for the truth.

Capcom isn’t relying solely on old foes. The trailer revealed glimpses of encounters with entirely new, terrifying creatures. Their unsettling design suggests that the developers are once again letting their imagination run wild to offer players fresh and blood-curdling challenges.

Analysis: Return to Raccoon City? How Is That Possible?

The biggest surprise—and the point that immediately sparked a flood of online discussions—is the setting. The trailer unmistakably points to Raccoon City. This is information that appears to contradict established lore. Every fan of the series knows the city was destroyed by a thermobaric bomb in late 1998 to stop the spread of the T-Virus. So how does Capcom intend to explain this return? There are a few intriguing possibilities:

• Prequel: Could Requiem be a story set just before or during the 1998 catastrophe, told from a completely new perspective? This would allow for a return to iconic locations.
• Retcon or new zone: It’s possible Capcom will introduce a slight retcon in the canon, or the story could take place in isolated, not fully destroyed outskirts of the city, now under a new quarantine.
• Simulation or dream: A bolder theory suggests that the events in Raccoon City could be part of a virtual simulation or nightmare, opening the door to vast narrative experimentation.

Regardless of the direction chosen, this is a bold and exciting decision that reignites interest in the very foundations of the series.

Veteran and Newcomer – Leon S. Kennedy alongside Grace

Rumors circulating online for months are gaining credibility. While the trailer focused on Grace, reliable sources have long suggested the return of a true legend—Leon S. Kennedy. His presence in Requiem now seems almost certain. This kind of narrative structure, based on the dynamic between a seasoned veteran and a new, personally involved heroine, is a classic approach for the series and one that has proven successful many times before. We can expect Leon to serve as a mentor or ally to Grace, and players might even be able to switch between the two characters, experiencing the story from dual perspectives.

Release Date and Platforms

Capcom didn’t leave fans in suspense. At the end of the trailer, a specific release date appeared. Resident Evil: Requiem will launch on February 27, 2026. The game will be available on PC and current-generation consoles: PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

The reveal of Resident Evil: Requiem is undoubtedly one of the strongest highlights of this year’s Summer Game Fest. Capcom has proven that the franchise is in excellent shape and still capable of delivering surprises. A return to Raccoon City, an intriguing new heroine, and the promise of reuniting with Leon—this is a recipe for something truly unforgettable.