Thirty Years of Survival Horror: The Legacy of Resident Evil and the Arrival of Requiem

Recommended products

This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

By Julyana Barradas, Contributor at PlayersForLife of Games The year 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Resident Evil, one of the most iconic survival horror franchises. Since the doors of the Spencer Mansion first opened in 1996, Capcom’s franchise has defined the survival horror genre and become a cultural phenomenon, enduring mutations, perspective shifts, and console generations. Several upcoming games will feature familiar characters in new scenarios:

Grace Ashcroft, an FBI analyst, will star in Resident Evil: Grace Ashcroft, investigating a series of murders at a hotel where her mother disappeared ten years earlier. Leon Kennedy, known for encountering bioweapon incidents, crosses paths with Grace as the situation escalates. Leon Kennedy will be the main character in Resident Evil: Extinction. The initial hours of the game reportedly unfold within a terrifying sanatorium, promising some of the scariest encounters in the series, before shifting to action and over-the-top excitement. In Resident Evil: Vendetta, both Grace Ashcroft and Leon S. Kennedy will be main characters. Grace’s sections will emphasize classic survival horror elements, such as ink ribbons for saving progress, limited inventory management, and zombie revivals. Leon’s sections will offer action-heavy gameplay reminiscent of Resident Evil 4, incorporating heavy firepower and connecting to the series’ extensive lore with nods to previous games. While Grace’s sections are expected to be intense and innovative, Leon’s may rely heavily on nostalgia, potentially leading to repetitive action sequences. Grace Ashcroft is also expected to star in the leading role in Resident Evil 9, although neither the game’s title nor its main hero have been officially revealed.

Resident Evil Requiem, arriving on February 27, promises to celebrate the saga’s 30th anniversary and encompass all of its gameplay evolutions. Leaks suggest that Requiem will serve as a narrative convergence point, marking the franchise’s anniversary and encompassing all gameplay evolutions. Few franchises have reinvented themselves as successfully as Resident Evil. The first three titles—which introduced key characters such as Jill Valentine and Chris and Claire Redfield—featured fixed cameras, pre-rendered environments, and tense resource management. The fourth title, released in 2004 and starring Leon S. Kennedy, marked a turning point by emphasizing action with an over-the-shoulder camera perspective, influencing third-person shooters in the 2010s. With the RE Engine, the franchise embraced the first-person perspective in Resident Evil 7 and Village, reclaiming visceral fear and photorealism. The new title, surrounded by fan theories, will unite past and future by combining first-person gameplay leaning towards survival horror with Grace Ashcroft and action-oriented gameplay with Leon S. Kennedy.

Resident Evil Requiem: A New Era of Biological Horror Unfolds

Turning 30 with such stamina is rare, and the Resident Evil franchise has proven that fear is a universal language. Whether facing slow-moving zombies in Raccoon City or fleeing folkloric horrors in European villages, Capcom has maintained the desperate struggle for survival against the impossible. Resident Evil Requiem will not only be another game but also the closure of a cycle and the beginning of a new era for biological horror. Prepare yourself; the nightmare is far from over. Julyana Barradas is passionate about board games and RPGs, has experience as an independent game monitor, and produces digital content on the subject at The Board Is On The Table, as well as a collaborator at PlayersForLife. Check out PlayersForLife channels on YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, TikTok, and Instagram. This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Portal Uai.

In Case You Missed It

In an unexpected twist of hardware prowess, Capcom recently revealed that their upcoming survival horror masterpiece, Resident Evil Requiem, will be performing beautifully on Nintendo’s latest console, the Switch 2. Initially skeptical about the new hardware, Carlos Mendoza shares in his insightful piece “Capcom Couldn’t Believe Performance of Resident Evil Requiem on Nintendo Switch 2” Capcom Couldn’t Believe Performance of Resident Evil Requiem on Nintendo Switch 2 how the team’s confidence grew after successfully converting an internal version of Resident Evil Village onto the Switch 2. Meanwhile, in a recent auction by Heritage Auctions, a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. was sold for an astronomical price, marking another milestone in gaming history. This rare find, graded 9.6/a+ by Watagames and turning forty this year in Japan, is sure to captivate retro gamers and collectors alike. Jonathan Dubinski’s latest post on Players For Life, “Super Mario Bros Turns 40 in Japan” Super Mario Bros Turns 40 in Japan, explores this fascinating story. In our continuing quest to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Resident Evil, Dubinski also published a review on February 25th, 2026, delving into Capcom’s latest masterpiece, Resident Evil 9 Requiem, and exploring how it masterfully balances Grace Ashcroft’s vulnerable horror with Leon Scott Kennedy’s brawny action. Check out his analysis here Resident Evil 9 Requiem Review: Has Capcom Perfectly Balanced Horror and Action? to discover how Resident Evil 9 Requiem pays homage to the series’ past while setting new standards for immersive gameplay.