Resident Evil: Requiem AKA Resident Evil 9 Sets Stage in Destroyed Raccoon City | popgeeks.com
Resident Evil: Requiem – The Nightmare Returns to a Ruined Raccoon City
The gaming world exploded with excitement at Summer Game Fest 2025 as Capcom unexpectedly dropped the first terrifying trailer for Resident Evil: Requiem, officially known as Resident Evil 9. Despite earlier teases suggesting a later reveal, the full trailer has sent shockwaves through the community, confirming a haunting return to the iconic Raccoon City and a profound expansion of the series’ lore. Resident Evil: Requiem is slated for a February 27, 2026 release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Perhaps the most significant revelation from the trailer and subsequent official information is the long-awaited integration of the Resident Evil Outbreak series into the mainline canon. This means the events and characters from the beloved PS2 spin-offs are now officially part of the Resident Evil universe, offering fans a richer backstory to explore.
The new protagonist introduced in the trailer is Grace Ashcroft, whose surname immediately resonated with long-time fans. Grace is confirmed to be the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft, the quick-witted investigative journalist from Resident Evil Outbreak. Unlike her mother, Grace has chosen a career in law enforcement, becoming an FBI agent. The trailer portrays her as a shy and well-mannered individual, a stark contrast to Alyssa’s sharp tongue.
Grace’s appearance immediately catches the eye. She sports short, stylish platinum blonde hair that frames her face, and she wears round, wire-rimmed glasses that give her an intellectual yet approachable look. Her attire, a dark blazer over a light-colored top, with an FBI badge clearly visible, firmly establishes her professional role.
The narrative thrust of Resident Evil: Requiem centers on Grace investigating a series of mysterious deaths linked to an unknown disease. Her current assignment leads her to a specific hotel – a place that triggers a severe PTSD flashback. This location is revealed to be the very site where her mother, Alyssa, was tragically murdered. The confirmation of Alyssa’s death creates a powerful emotional weight for Grace’s personal journey.
During her flashback, Grace glimpses a hooded figure, strongly implied to be Alyssa’s killer. This ominous individual reappears in a chilling scene where Grace is seen in a hospital setting, strapped to a gurney. The hooded man addresses her directly, uttering the cryptic words, “the chosen one.”
The trailer culminates in a breathtaking and horrifying shot: the desolate, post-nuclear Raccoon City. The city, decimated by the events of Resident Evil 3 and the US government’s nuclear intervention, lies in ruins, a stark and haunting backdrop for Grace’s new nightmare. This marks a definitive return to the series’ foundational setting, albeit one fundamentally altered by catastrophe. While the trailer keeps the specific types of Bio-Organic Weapons (BOWs) under wraps, the mutated and dilapidated environment strongly suggests a new breed of horrors for players to confront.
Further fueling fan speculation, the trailer features subtle voice-overs believed to belong to familiar characters. Many fans are convinced they heard the voices of fan-favorites like Jill Valentine, Leon S. Kennedy, and Carlos Oliveira, suggesting a larger, interconnected narrative that could bring together pivotal figures from the franchise’s history. The game’s director, Koshi Nakanishi (known for Resident Evil 7), is at the helm, hinting at a return to a more intense, claustrophobic horror experience.
Capcom has stated that Resident Evil 9 will mark a “bold shift” for the franchise in both tone and gameplay, promising not just survival horror but also “high-stakes, cinematic action.” With Grace Ashcroft’s personal quest intertwined with the grim legacy of Raccoon City and the integration of Outbreak lore, Resident Evil: Requiem is poised to deliver a deeply immersive and terrifying experience that honors the series’ past while forging a new and terrifying path forward. The countdown to February 2026 has officially begun.
