The ninth mainline entry in Capcom's iconic survival horror series, announced at Summer Game Fest on June 6, 2025. It's set for release on February 27, 2026, across PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), and Nintendo Switch 2 —marking the series' 30th anniversary with a return to its roots in tense, immersive horror.
Story and Setting
The game takes place ~30 years after the 1998 Raccoon City Destruction Incident, revisiting the bombed-out ruins—including familiar spots like the police station from RE2 and RE3. FBI technical analyst Grace Ashcroft, an introverted "bookworm" lacking combat skills, investigates mysterious deaths at the Wrenwood Hotel (where her mother Alyssa died years earlier).
She's pursued by a relentless, wall-crawling stalker monster akin to Mr. X or Lady Dimitrescu.
Meanwhile, DSO agent Leon S. Kennedy probes Umbrella remnants tied to ex-scientist Victor Gideon in the Midwest.
Their paths converge in a unified story blending evasion, investigation, and high-stakes action, with ties to the broader lore (e.g., mentions of Claire, Jill, Sherry).
#mGameplay Features
- Dual Protagonists: Alternate between Grace (stealth-focused survival horror like RE7/Village: crouch/sneak, hide under tables, distract with bottles, use a lighter in pitch-black areas) and Leon (combat-heavy like RE4: guns, melee combos against zombies).
- Perspective Switch: Seamlessly toggle first-person (immersive tension, recommended) or third-person (action-oriented) anytime—unique animations for each.
- Other Mechanics: Syringe-based healing, resource scarcity, grotesque enemies (lickers, G-types, new "Elanthropus" virus mutants that may retain consciousness), ~18-hour campaign + extras like Mercenaries mode.
- Tech: RE Engine with path-traced lighting, ray-tracing, DLSS 4/FSR 3.1 on PC; PS5 Pro enhanced; haptic feedback on DualSense.
Directed by Koshi Nakanishi (*RE7*), it evolved from a scrapped online open-world idea to pure single-player horror.
Trailers and Recent Hype
- Reveal Trailer (June 2025): Raccoon City ruins intro.
- August 2025 Trailer: Grace's backstory and stealth gameplay.
- Game Awards 2025 Trailer (Dec 11): Leon reveal, action focus.
- Today's NVIDIA Trailer (Jan 6, 2026): 4K path-tracing showcase in a bustling "Rhodes Hill" city (open-ish exploration?), new OST, RTX 50-series tech—looks insanely detailed and rainy.
Demos were at Gamescom/PAX West 2025; over 1M wishlists already.
Pre-Order and Editions
Available now on all platforms (~$70 standard).
- Deluxe/Collector: Extra costumes (e.g., Grace's Apocalypse), artbook, steelbook.
- Bonuses: Weapons, outfits (e.g., Leon/Grace cosmetics; Epic pre-order ties into Fortnite).
- Switch 2 exclusives: Themed Pro Controller, Grace amiibo.
Hype is massive—perfect mix of dread and badassery ahead of launch!
