Resident Evil Requiem was officially unveiled last weekend at Summer Game Fest, and honestly? It looks like Capcom might be cooking up something seriously special for long-time horror fans. Slated for release on 27 February 2026—via PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC—the ninth mainline entry promises a return to the roots of the franchise.
The debut trailer is packed with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments, cryptic clues, and enough lore to keep Reddit theorists fuelled for months. We break down everything you might’ve missed, and why Requiem might be one of the most ambitious RE titles to date.
Set in the wake of the catastrophic events of Resident Evil 3, Requiem is being framed not as a reboot, but a spiritual sequel; a postscript to the chaos that engulfed Raccoon City. The announcement trailer offers brief glimpses of desolate streets, mold-covered buildings, and unsettling new mutations crawling through the ruins of a city long since abandoned… or so we thought.
The trailer heavily suggests we’ll not only explore the wreckage but possibly experience parts of the city before it was obliterated at the end. Perhaps a playable flashback sequence? Or even better, a dual timeline? Fans have been begging for a deeper dive into the hours leading up to the infamous bomb strike, and this might finally be it.
What sets Requiem apart isn’t just the location, but its protagonist; Grace Ashcroft, an FBI technical analyst. A fresh face to newer fans, but one with deep connections to Resident Evil lore. Grace is the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft, a journalist who previously appeared in Resident Evil Outbreak.
Alyssa was one of the few characters attempting to expose the truth behind the Umbrella Corporation’s bioweapons programme and ultimately murdered under "mysterious circumstances". Now, Grace is back in the ruins of the city her mother died trying to save. Her story arc seems to bridge the gap between old and new, possibly inaugurating a horrifying new truth in the forgotten episode.
We didn’t get any direct confirmation so far, but fan speculation involving federal investigation is running wild. So it wouldn’t be out of place for familiar characters—Leon S. Kennedy, Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield—to pop in either.
Plus, could the mysterious man in shadows be the mastermind behind it all? Is he the one operating on Grace in those unsettling scenes? His identity remains unknown, but fans believe he could be Oswell E. Spencer (somehow still alive). Others say he might be a new character known only as Mr Simon; a rumoured antagonist tied to Umbrella’s more secretive experiments.
We also glimpse a hooded figure looming ominously, hinting at the presence of a clandestine organisation. Given the franchise’s longstanding themes—bioweapons and borderline religious fanaticism (cue RE 4 flashbacks)—it wouldn’t be surprising if this new group has roots in Wesker’s deranged legacy.
One of the trailer’s most shocking moments sees a terrifying shackled monster descending from the ceiling. Some are convinced it's Alyssa. Considering she was exposed to early T-virus antidotes, she could have been experimented on, or undergone mutation instead of dying. Otherwise, Lisa Trevor (RE: The Umbrella Chronicles) in similar fate. Either way, it looks like the creature is a key monster for the game.
Capcom has only revealed the initial trailer and teaser art, but they already hint at a shift in tone. Requiem appears more investigative, possibly incorporating detective mechanics and psychological elements atop classic survival horror structure. Could this be Capcom’s answer to the success of narrative-rich thrillers like Alan Wake 2 or The Last of Us Part II?
What we do know is that Requiem will run on the RE Engine; which powered RE 7, the recent remakes, and Village. That means we can expect top-tier graphics, photorealistic environments, and some of the most frightening creature designs the franchise has to offer. Judging from early concept art, enemies that blur the line between viral mutation and supernatural nightmare.
Maybe. The title Requiem implies some kind of conclusion, and Capcom could position this as final chapter to the current era. With nods to RE 7, Village, and the older titles, Requiem might finally tie everything together; from the Bakers, the Ashcrofts to the ruins of Raccoon City.
At the same time, early whispers indicate that the game might serve as a soft reboot. A way to close the book on the Redfield/Kennedy time while setting up a new generation of protagonists (and horrors) for the next phase.
Requiem may reward long-time fans with a deeply satisfying sense of coming full circle, while offering newcomers a chilling way into the franchise. Whether this marks curtain call or merely the end of the beginning, it could well be the most lore-rich and emotionally-driven entry in the series yet.
