Image credit: Capcom

Let’s buckle up because Summer Game Fest 2025 just detonated with a reveal that’s had the Resident Evil fandom collectively losing its mind!

Capcom pulled a classic move, simultaneously dropping a chilling gameplay teaser and officially unveiling the ninth mainline entry in our beloved survival horror saga, now known as Resident Evil: Requiem. The hype is real.

Two for One: RE9 Title Reveal and First Gameplay Hit Hard

You heard that right. Capcom finally lifted the veil, confirming Resident Evil 9 is officially titled Resident Evil Requiem. They even did their usual trick of changing a letter to the entry number in the reveal trailer. Mark your calendars: February 27, 2026, is the release date across PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

Video credits: Resident Evil Requiem - Reveal Trailer

Over SGF weekend, many saw a pre-recorded gameplay video. This demo, much like RE7 Biohazard early teasers, introduces new protagonist Grace Ashcroft in a claustrophobic space, hunted by a deadly stalker. Players must solve puzzles and survive.

New Engine Glow-Up: Requiem Looks Disturbingly Good

Visually, Requiem is shaping up to be a stunner. The RE Engine got a big lighting boost, and Capcom’s clearly flexing. The hospital ward demo mixes fluorescent lights with pitch-black corners lit by blinking machines. Grace’s facial expressions? The most detailed we’ve seen in the series.

Image credit: RE9 Requiem

New screenshots are flooding online, and fans are loving the look. The trailer was dripping with atmosphere. Capcom says the tech leap supports a more immersive story and characters. Looks like they’re not holding back.

Ashcroft, Raccoon, and a Walking Nightmare: What’s the Story Here?

The story follows FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft, working a case tied to a body found in an abandoned hotel, the same one where her mother, Alyssa Ashcroft, died eight years earlier.

Alyssa was a reporter in RE Outbreak. Grace is introverted and anxious, very different from past RE leads. The personal angle suggests a heavy emotional core. Some fans think she might secretly be Rose Winters from Village, and the Ashcroft name hints at ties to Code: Veronica.

The setting is a return to Raccoon City, years after its fall. The demo area, Rhodes Hill Civic Care Center, had serious RE7 energy.

Gameplay brings back core survival horror elements: puzzles, combat, and resource juggling. A big new mechanic is the option to freely switch between first-person and third-person, letting players pick how close they want to feel to the horror.

Monsters? Grace is hunted by a grotesque, shambling beast with a sickly skin, bulging eyes, massive hands. Think Jack Baker vibes. It’s drawn to sound and crashes through walls. Grace has no gun, just a lighter and a bottle to throw. It’s terrifying.

Grace is hunted by a grotesque, shambling beast with a sickly skin, bulging eyes, massive hands
Grace is hunted by a grotesque, shambling beast with a sickly skin, bulging eyes, massive hands, Image credit: RE9 Requiem

Leon S. Kennedy is heavily rumored to be playable, thanks to his voice actor’s resume and his Jeep in the trailer. Jill Valentine might appear too — her RE3 Remake voice can be heard in one scene.

There’s buzz around Lady Dimitrescu’s return, partly fueled by Maggie Robertson’s SGF presence. Some hope she returns in a bigger role, others want her left in the past. Either way, the gothic vibe is back.

Insider Dusk Gollum says we’ll explore multiple primary locations like Renwood Hotel and Raccoon City, with gameplay echoing RE1’s two-character formula. A public demo is coming at Gamescom in August!

SGF Crowd Loses It — Screams, Gasps, Total Chaos

Reactions at SGF were intense. The audience responded audibly during the reveal, with clear excitement and surprise. Online, fans praised the monster design and the first/third-person toggle. The “addictive fear” theme hit hard, and the mood was set.

Survival Horror Is Back, and It’s Got Teeth

Resident Evil Requiem is built to hook survival horror fans. Capcom’s aiming to deliver “a heart-stopping experience” rooted in RE lore. It’s balancing old-school tension with high-stakes action.

Expect psychological horror, puzzles, and that constant dread of running out of resources. If the demo’s anything to go by, February 2026 can’t come soon enough.