The birth of survival horror
The Resident Evil franchise officially began on March 22, 1996, when Capcom released the first game for the original PlayStation in Japan. Directed by Shinji Mikami, the title established a completely new style of horror in video games.
Instead of fast action, the game focused on atmosphere, limited resources, exploration and puzzle solving. Players had to survive inside terrifying environments where every bullet mattered.
The story introduced Umbrella Corporation, a powerful pharmaceutical company secretly developing biological weapons through experimental viruses. One of those experiments would eventually escape containment and trigger a global nightmare.
Resident Evil (1996) – the Spencer Mansion incident
The first Resident Evil was released on March 22, 1996.
The story follows Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, members of an elite police unit called S.T.A.R.S., who are sent to investigate a series of strange murders in the Arklay Mountains near Raccoon City.
Their search leads them to the mysterious Spencer Mansion, which hides a secret underground laboratory operated by Umbrella.
Inside, they discover the T-virus, a biological agent capable of mutating humans and animals into aggressive monsters. As they fight for survival, they uncover that their own commander, Albert Wesker, has been secretly working with Umbrella.
This incident becomes the starting point of the entire Resident Evil storyline.
Resident Evil 2 (1998) – the fall of Raccoon City
Resident Evil 2 launched on January 21, 1998.
Two months after the mansion incident, the T-virus spreads across Raccoon City, turning most of the population into zombies.
The game introduces two new protagonists: Leon S. Kennedy, a rookie police officer on his first day at work, and Claire Redfield, who arrives in the city searching for her missing brother Chris.
During their escape they learn that scientist William Birkin developed an even more dangerous mutation known as the G-virus.
The outbreak quickly spirals out of control and the entire city collapses.
Resident Evil 3 Nemesis (1999) – the destruction of the city
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis was released on September 22, 1999.
Jill Valentine returns as the main protagonist while Raccoon City descends into chaos.
Umbrella deploys a terrifying bio-organic weapon called Nemesis, specifically designed to eliminate surviving members of S.T.A.R.S.
Nemesis relentlessly hunts Jill throughout the game.
Eventually the United States government decides to destroy the entire city with a nuclear strike in order to stop the virus from spreading further.
Resident Evil Code Veronica (2000)
Resident Evil Code Veronica was released on February 3, 2000.
Claire Redfield continues her search for her brother Chris but is captured by Umbrella forces.
She is taken to a remote prison island where new biological experiments are taking place.
Later the story moves to a secret Umbrella facility in Antarctica where the history of the Ashford family and their genetic experiments is revealed.
Resident Evil Zero (2002)
Resident Evil Zero was released on November 12, 2002.
The game acts as a prequel to the first Resident Evil and explains how the original outbreak began.
Players follow Rebecca Chambers and former soldier Billy Coen as they investigate a mysterious train incident connected to Umbrella's early experiments.
Resident Evil 4 (2005) – reinventing the franchise
Resident Evil 4 launched on January 11, 2005.
Leon Kennedy now works as a government agent tasked with rescuing the President's daughter.
His mission leads him to a remote European village where the population has been infected by a parasite known as Las Plagas.
The parasite allows a cult called Los Illuminados to control the minds of the villagers.
Resident Evil 4 completely reinvented the series and introduced the over-the-shoulder camera system that influenced countless modern action games.
Resident Evil 5 (2009)
Resident Evil 5 was released on March 5, 2009.
Chris Redfield is now a member of the BSAA, an organization dedicated to stopping bioterrorism.
He travels to Africa with agent Sheva Alomar to investigate illegal biological weapons.
During the mission they discover that Albert Wesker is planning to unleash the Uroboros virus to trigger a forced evolution of humanity.
The game ends with a final confrontation between Chris and Wesker inside an active volcano.
Resident Evil 6 (2012)
Resident Evil 6 launched on October 2, 2012.
A new pathogen known as the C-virus causes outbreaks across several cities around the world.
The story follows multiple protagonists including Leon Kennedy, Chris Redfield, Jake Muller and Sherry Birkin.
For the first time the series shows a full-scale global bioterrorism crisis.
Resident Evil 7 Biohazard (2017) – a return to horror
Resident Evil 7 Biohazard was released on January 24, 2017.
The game introduces Ethan Winters, a civilian searching for his missing wife in a decaying plantation in Louisiana.
Inside the house he encounters the Baker family, who have been infected by a bioweapon called Eveline.
The game switches to a first-person perspective and focuses heavily on psychological horror, bringing the series back to its survival horror roots.
Resident Evil Village (2021)
Resident Evil Village was released on May 7, 2021.
Ethan Winters travels to a mysterious European village to rescue his kidnapped daughter.
The area is ruled by four powerful figures, including the now iconic Lady Dimitrescu.
Behind everything stands Mother Miranda, whose experiments connect the series to an ancient organism known as the Megamycete.
Resident Evil Requiem (2026) – the next chapter
The newest main entry in the franchise is Resident Evil Requiem, released on February 27, 2026.
The story introduces Grace Ashcroft, an FBI analyst investigating a series of mysterious deaths connected to survivors of the Raccoon City incident.
During the investigation she encounters Leon S. Kennedy, who helps uncover a new biological threat linked to secrets from Umbrella's early experiments.
The game mixes classic survival horror sections with modern action gameplay and allows players to switch between first-person and third-person perspectives.
A franchise that defined horror gaming
Nearly three decades after its debut, Resident Evil remains one of the most influential franchises in the history of video games.
The series has sold more than 150 million copies worldwide and expanded beyond games into movies, animated films, novels and remakes.
What began as a mysterious virus outbreak inside a mansion ultimately evolved into one of the most complex and iconic stories in gaming history.
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