A new era of survival horror begins with Resident Evil 9.
Capcom’s worst-kept secret, Resident Evil 9, also known as Resident Evil Requiem, was officially revealed at the Summer Games Fest showcase. Its surprisingly terrifying trailer gave a glimpse of RE 9’s story, setting, and characters, and provided a concrete release date for the game.
With RE 9, Capcom aims to kick off a new era of survival horror. It seems to blend the intoxicating atmosphere of 2017’s RE 7 with the over-the-top action of cult classic RE 4. So far, what we have seen seems gritty and refreshing.
If you're just as excited as we are about the ninth mainline entry in this iconic survival horror franchise, you're in the right place. Here's everything we know about Resident Evil 9.
Resident Evil 9 release date countdown
Resident Evil 9 launches on February 27, 2026, for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. However, Capcom has yet to reveal pricing, editions, and pre-orders for the game. You can wishlist RE 9 on various platforms via the game's official website.
Resident Evil 9 story and setting: All playable characters and connections to past games
Resident Evil 9 looks to be a stark departure from modern RE games, both in terms of aesthetics and tone. It’s a murder mystery sprinkled with the grim color palette of noir crime thrillers.
You play as Grace Ashcroft, a reporter at the FBI investigating a series of deaths via an unidentified disease. Push comes to shove when Grace heads to Wrenwood Hotel to analyze a crime scene. It's the place where her mother, Alyssa Ashcroft, was brutally murdered eight years ago.
If you didn’t know, Alyssa Ashcroft was one of the protagonists in the RE spinoff game Resident Evil: Outbreak. She was also referenced in a newspaper article in RE 7, which covered the mysterious disappearances happening in and around South Louisiana.
For now, Grace seems to be the only playable character of RE 9, though rumors suggest otherwise. Prominent RE insider Dusk Golem claims that everyone’s favorite cop-turned-government agent, Leon Kennedy, will also be a playable character in Requiem, though with more screen presence than Grace Ashcroft.
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Halfway through the reveal trailer, we see a panic-stricken Grace handcuffed to a chair. Furthermore, it seems like she was injected with a virus that causes hallucinations. Given that she isn’t a military-trained soldier, the FBI may send someone else to help or rescue her, presumably Leon.
While the trailer doesn’t reveal anything, we do hear a few additional voices that are worth pointing out. One of them sounds eerily similar to Jeff Schine, who you may recall as Chris Redfield in Resident Evil Village. Schine also voiced Carlos in the Resident Evil 3 remake.
We also hear a female voice saying, “We need to keep our voices down." This could have been none other than Nicole Tompkins. You may recall Nicole as the voice of Jill Valentine in the RE 3 remake and as Elena Lupu in RE Village.
Resident Evil 9 seems to be set in multiple locations. Aside from the claustrophobic corridors of the Wrenwood Hotel, we see a dilapidated Raccoon City, most likely 27 years after it was bombed during the G-Virus outbreak in RE 2. Familiar locations, such as the iconic RPD, including Leon’s rundown Jeep appear in the trailer. There’s also a stunning drone shot of the entire city, suggesting it's one of the explorable places in the game.
Resident Evil 9 gameplay: Is it first-person or third-person?
While Capcom hasn’t confirmed how Resident Evil 9 will play out, Duskgolem says it will be in third-person. The trailer suggests a grounded survival horror experience akin to RE 7, so a third-person perspective seems a bit surprising.
That said, you shouldn’t rule out the possibility of Resident Evil 9 featuring first-person gameplay. Leon’s sections could be in third-person, capturing the essence of the classic RE games, whereas Grace’s could be in first-person similar to RE 7 and Village.
When will the next Resident Evil 9 trailer drop?
After its reveal, Geoff Keighley confirmed on the stage that Resident Evil 9 will have a playable demo at Gamescom 2025, which takes place from Aug. 20 to Aug. 24 in Cologne, Germany. However, we don’t know if Capcom will publish a new gameplay trailer at the Gamescom Opening Live event.
If the RE 4 remake’s marketing is anything to go by, you could expect the new Resident Evil 9 trailer to drop in October during a PlayStation State of Play or Showcase. Likewise, the third trailer could drop in January or early February, just weeks before the launch of RE 9.
That's everything we know about Resident Evil 9. For more on the game, stick around on esports.gg.
