Last night during the Capcom Spotlight showcase, the company debuted the first gameplay for its upcoming survival horror game, Resident Evil Requiem. The ninth mainline game in the long-running franchise will feature both first and third-person views, combining the best of both perspectives from past releases. Capcom also confirmed that, despite rumours to the contrary, Leon S. Kennedy will not be a playable protagonist in the game.
Resident Evil Requiem was officially revealed during Summer Game Fest earlier this month, revealing that Grace Ashcroft would be the protagonist of the next game. Grace is the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft, a character featured in Resident Evil Outbreak. According to the company, Requiem takes place 30 years after the events of Resident Evil 2, which would make Leon around 50-years old during the ninth game’s timeline. On that note, Capcom says Leon is a “bad match” for horror as he’s a trained agent, so he won’t be playable in the game.
Grace is an FBI analyst who is investigating a series of mysterious deaths in Raccoon City, 30 years after the bombs fell in Resident Evil 3. Even though the gameplay is brief, it shows Grace exploring some creepy locations. Capcom also used this chance to show off the seamless transition between first and third-person perspectives, which players can switch between at any point during gameplay.
Capcom is still keeping details about the story scarce for now leading up to the game’s release early next year. We’ll likely get more information and footage of Requiem in action over the next few months, which may shed some light on new enemies, locations and characters. Fans speculate that there’s a good chance we’ll get appearances or cameos from legacy characters in the franchise in some capacity.
Resident Evil Requiem releases on 27 February 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. Watch the new gameplay and presentation below:
Source: Capcom
