Resident Evil Games in Order: Release Order, Story Order and Where to Start

The easiest way to play the Resident Evil games is release order: Resident Evil (1996) through Resident Evil Requiem (2026), with the modern remakes slotted in as optional replacements for the originals. If you are brand new, you do not have to start at the beginning — Resident Evil 2 (2019 remake), Resident Evil 4 (2023 remake) and Resident Evil 7 all work as first games. The story is more connected than it looks, but nothing forces a strict order.

Quick answer: where should you start?

• Want the whole story: play in release order below, using the remakes where they exist.
• Want modern horror: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017), then Village (2021).
• Want the most celebrated entry: Resident Evil 4 (remake, 2023).
• Want the newest game: Resident Evil Requiem (2026) — it leans on Leon S. Kennedy and Raccoon City, so some earlier context helps but is not required.

Resident Evil mainline games in release order

Dates come from Wikipedia’s game pages, which list original-platform launches; regional dates differed, especially for the earlier games.

Which games are remakes?

Capcom has remade four of the first five numbered games, and the remakes are the usual recommendation for newcomers:

• Resident Evil (2002) — originally on GameCube, a ground-up remake of the 1996 game.
• Resident Evil 2 (2019) — PS4, Windows and Xbox One.
• Resident Evil 3 (April 2020).
• Resident Evil 4 (March 24, 2023) — PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Windows.

The 2019, 2020 and 2023 remakes are also coming to Nintendo Switch 2. Capcom’s announcement gives October 16, 2026 for digital releases (RE2 Deluxe Edition, RE3 and RE4 Gold Edition) and January 29, 2027 for physical editions — our full Switch 2 release breakdown has the details.

Resident Evil story order

Release order and story order are not the same, but the differences are small. What the sources actually state:

1. Resident Evil Zero — set on July 23, 1998, when the Umbrella train is attacked. Its story ends by setting up the events of the first game. Released in 2002 on GameCube.
2. Resident Evil — the Spencer Mansion incident in the Arklay Mountains.
3. Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis — the Raccoon City outbreak. RE3 takes place both before and after RE2, as Capcom has said, so there is no clean “2 then 3” split. See our Umbrella Corporation explainer for the background.
4. Resident Evil – Code: Veronica — begins in December 1998, about three months after Claire Redfield escaped Raccoon City.
5. Resident Evil 4 — set six years after the Raccoon City incident, with Leon S. Kennedy as the lead.
6. Resident Evil 5 — released in 2009; it sits before Revelations 2 and RE6 in the timeline.
7. Resident Evil Revelations 2 — set between RE5 and RE6.
8. Resident Evil 6 — events run from late 2012 into 2013 across four interlocking campaigns (Leon, Chris, Jake and Ada).
9. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard — a new protagonist, Ethan Winters, and a tonal reset.
10. Resident Evil Village — a direct sequel to RE7. Wikipedia’s own sections describe it as three or four years later, so treat that gap as approximate; the game is largely set on February 9, 2021.
11. Resident Evil Requiem — set in October 2026, 28 years after Raccoon City was destroyed.

Some placements are not stated in the sources we checked (for example, exact in-universe years for the original game or Code: Veronica’s first half), so we have not invented them.

Spin-offs: what’s worth knowing

The series has many spin-offs, and none is required to follow the main story. Notable ones include:

• Resident Evil Zero (2002) — a prequel that directly sets up the first game.
• Resident Evil Outbreak (2003, PS2) and Outbreak: File #2 (2004).
• The Umbrella Chronicles (2007) and The Darkside Chronicles (2009), both on Wii.
• Resident Evil: Revelations (February 2012, Nintendo 3DS) and Revelations 2 (March 2015).
• Operation Raccoon City (March 2012), Umbrella Corps (June 2016), Resistance (April 2020) and Re:Verse (October 2022).
• Resident Evil: Survival Unit (November 2025, iOS and Android).

Requiem and what’s next

Requiem is the ninth numbered mainline game. It stars FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft and returns to Leon S. Kennedy, and it revisits the ruins of Raccoon City, including the police station from RE2 and RE3. Wikipedia reports that it sold five million copies in five days and more than eight million within six months, making it the fastest-selling game in the series, and that story DLC is in development.

Next up is Resident Evil Veronica, a remake of Code: Veronica. Capcom unveiled it at Summer Game Fest on June 5, 2026 for Switch 2, PS5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S, with a release only given as 2027 — no exact date has been announced.

Where do the movies fit?

The films are separate continuities. Zach Cregger’s 2026 Resident Evil is set in the world of RE2 but follows a new character — see our movies-in-order guide and what game knowledge the film assumes. If you want to choose between the three remakes first, read which one to play first. Everything we publish on the series is in the Resident Evil hub.

FAQ

What order should I play the Resident Evil games in?

Release order is simplest: Resident Evil, 2, 3, Code: Veronica, 4, 5, 6, 7, Village, Requiem, using the remakes where they exist. A strict story order barely differs.

Do I need to play the old Resident Evil games first?

No. Resident Evil 7 is a fresh start with a new protagonist, and the 2019 RE2 and 2023 RE4 remakes are common entry points.

Which Resident Evil game should I play first?

For modern horror, Resident Evil 7; for the most celebrated game, the Resident Evil 4 remake; for the story from the beginning, the 2002 Resident Evil remake.

Is Resident Evil Village a sequel to Resident Evil 7?

Yes. It is a direct sequel following Ethan Winters, released May 7, 2021.

What is the newest Resident Evil game?

Resident Evil Requiem, released February 27, 2026. Resident Evil Veronica, a Code: Veronica remake, is scheduled for 2027 with no exact date.