Resident Evil: Requiem — Raccoon City Returns, and Capcom Is Betting on Both Fear and Firepower

This caught my attention because Capcom is returning to a full Raccoon City story for the first time since the city was wiped out – and they’re doing it while juggling two playstyles: a vulnerable, tech-focused heroine who scavenges and crafts, and Leon Kennedy, the franchise’s reliable action anchor. That mix could be exactly what long-time fans want, or it could split the game’s tone in ways that matter for survival-horror.

Resident Evil: Requiem – survival horror that remembers how to be scary

• Release date: Feb 27, 2026 (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2)
• Protagonists: Grace Ashcroft (new, tied to Outbreak lore) and Leon Kennedy
• Gameplay mix: first- and third-person perspectives, crafting from infected blood, scarce Requiem ammo, difficulty modes that include a classic ink-ribbon save
• Setting: a charred, rebuilt Raccoon City and recognizable landmarks in ruins

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Publisher|Capcom
Release Date|February 27, 2026
Category|Survival-horror
Platform|PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2
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Why Requiem matters

Capcom has leaned hard into modernizing Resident Evil over the past decade: the RE Engine has enabled atmospheric lighting, tactile gunplay, and photoreal visuals that sell horror better than any cutscene. Requiem appears to be taking that technical base and pairing it with a design split between restraint and spectacle. Grace’s fragile, craft-forward gameplay promises tension and resource-management survival, while Leon’s segments will likely provide the pace and set-piece combat players expect from his arc.

Key gameplay notes and what they imply

• Dual-camera approach (first- and third-person): This gives players options, but it’s a design risk. First-person sells immediacy and claustrophobia; third-person offers tactical awareness and classic RE framing. The final product will hinge on how smoothly Capcom matches tension across both views.
• Grace’s crafting and blood harvesting: Using infected blood as a crafting resource is a bold narrative tie-in to the series’ bioweapon themes. It points toward a more desperate, scavenger-style play for parts of the campaign – and likely inventive, gruesome tools.
• Requiem hand cannon and limited ammo: Making a powerful weapon a true last resort preserves fear. Good resource scarcity can restore the old-school RE nerve; overuse or too-generous drops would blunt that design choice.
• Difficulty modes including a classic ink-ribbon save: Capcom is explicitly courting both newcomers and purists. Classic mode with ink ribbons is a delight for series veterans who relish real consequences.

Lore and setting — Raccoon City, again

Bringing players back to a devastated Raccoon City is a big narrative move. The thermobaric missile that leveled the city has been a looming piece of series history; exploring the ruins lets Capcom mine nostalgia while revealing new angles on Umbrella’s aftermath. Tying Grace to Alyssa Ashcroft from Outbreak is clever worldbuilding: Outbreak was one of the franchise’s more experimental entries, and any link could reframe that game’s unanswered threads. Expect easter eggs, journal pages, and callbacks for lore fans.

Platform strategy and the Switch 2 angle

Launching on PS5, Series X|S, PC, and Switch 2 keeps Capcom’s footprint broad. The Switch 2 Generation Pack — bundling Requiem with Village Gold and RE7 Gold — is a smart move to get newcomers into the catalog and to push physical sales for a new console. The practical question is performance parity: how well Requiem’s RE Engine visuals and atmospheric systems scale to a portable-focused device will matter to Switch 2 owners.

What this means for players

If you love tense, methodical survival-horror, Grace’s sections look tailor-made for you. If you prefer high-octane action, Leon’s chapters will balance the experience. The toggle between perspectives and a strong resource-management backbone suggests Capcom wants to satisfy both camps without turning the game into a genre salad. The inclusion of a true classic save mode is a welcome sign that the studio still values its core audience.

Concerns and open questions

My main reservations are technical and tonal: switching camera modes risks diluting immersion if transitions aren’t seamless, and crafting mechanics tied to gore need to avoid turning the game into a systems exercise at the expense of atmosphere. Also missing from announcements: any mention of co-op or post-launch plans. Capcom’s handling of post-release content will shape Requiem’s lifespan.

TL;DR — quick take

Resident Evil: Requiem looks like a thoughtful attempt to blend the franchise’s survival roots with modern production values: vulnerable, craft-heavy play for a new lead, plus Leon’s action chops, all set in a freshly explored Raccoon City. If Capcom balances camera perspectives and keeps scarcity meaningful, this could be one of the scarier, more satisfying mainline entries in years. Release: Feb 27, 2026 — mark your calendars.