Silas "S.T.A.R.S." Thorne
A veteran survival-horror journalist and Raccoon City "survivor" since '96, specializing in Capcom's RE Engine tech and hunting down the rarest physical editions of horror classics.
Published: March 15, 2026 | 12 min read | Last updated: March 15, 2026
Resident Evil Requiem: Everything Fans Need to Know and Where to Get the Merch
Five million copies in five days. That's not a typo Resident Evil Requiem, Capcom's ninth mainline installment, launched on February 27, 2026, and immediately shattered every franchise sales record in the series' 30-year history. Whether you've already survived your first playthrough as Grace Ashcroft or you're still deciding whether to dive into Raccoon City's ruins for the first time, this guide covers everything: the story, the dual-protagonist gameplay, platform availability, the difference between editions, and — because you came here for this too the best official merch money can buy right now.
⚡ Quick Answer
Resident Evil Requiem is out now on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam/Epic), and Nintendo Switch 2. It features dual protagonists — new FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft and returning fan-favorite Leon S. Kennedy — and is the fastest-selling game in the franchise, with 5 million copies sold in five days. Official merch, figures, and collector's editions are available through Capcom's official store and Amazon.
What Is Resident Evil Requiem?
Resident Evil Requiem is the ninth mainline entry in Capcom's long-running survival-horror franchise, developed using an upgraded version of the proprietary RE Engine that has powered every major RE release since 2017. Announced at Summer Game Fest on June 6, 2025, it released on February 27, 2026 the same month as the series' 30th anniversary across PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
Director Koshi Nakanishi, the architect behind Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, led a team through a six-year development cycle that reportedly began as an online open-world multiplayer concept before being scrapped and rebuilt as a focused single-player experience. The pivot was deliberate: according to Nakanishi, the original concept was not what fans wanted. The result is a game that feels like it was made by a team with something to prove and most critics agree it delivered.
📊 Key Stat: Resident Evil Requiem sold 5 million copies in its first five days, making it the fastest-selling entry in the franchise's 30-year history — surpassing RE6's previous record of 4.5 million in seven days.
Story & Lore: What Happens When Raccoon City's Ghosts Come Home?
The game is set in October 2026 28 years after the nuclear strike that officially ended the Raccoon City Incident. A body has surfaced at an abandoned Midwestern hotel. FBI intelligence analyst Grace Ashcroft is assigned to the case, only to discover the location is the same hotel where her mother, Resident Evil Outbreak protagonist Alyssa Ashcroft, was murdered eight years prior. Simultaneously, veteran DSO agent Leon S. Kennedy is dispatched when a police officer goes missing at the same location.
As their paths converge, they uncover a conspiracy threading back to the Raccoon City cover-up and a rogue scientist named Victor Gideon, who has engineered a new strain of "smart zombies" capable of tracking prey through sound. Leon is visibly infected early in the story, adding a ticking-clock urgency to his half of the campaign.
I've been tracking this franchise since the original PlayStation disc hit shelves in '96. The lore here is dense and rewards longtime fans the ruins of the Raccoon City Police Station, its marble statues half-buried in rubble, hit differently when you've cleared that building twice before. But Capcom was careful to ensure newcomers aren't lost. Grace's arc is entirely self-contained enough to stand alone, giving first-time players a clean entry point into the mythology.
Key Characters at a Glance
| Character | Role / Background |
|---|---|
| Grace Ashcroft | FBI analyst; daughter of RE Outbreak's Alyssa Ashcroft. Stealth & investigation gameplay. Voiced by Angela Sant'Albano (EN). |
| Leon S. Kennedy | Returning DSO agent; Raccoon City survivor. Action-combat gameplay. Voiced by Nick Apostolides (EN). |
| Sherry Birkin | Leon's fellow DSO agent; survivor of Raccoon City as a child in RE2. Support character. |
| Emily | Blind girl taken captive and experimented on. Central to the hotel mystery. |
Gameplay: What's It Actually Like Playing as Two Protagonists?
Requiem's defining mechanical choice is its dual-protagonist system, and unlike some games that attempt this and produce two mediocre halves, the execution here is deliberate and genuinely distinct. The campaign alternates between Grace and Leon, with each character offering a fundamentally different feel.
Grace's Chapters: Dread Incarnate
Grace is not a fighter. She's an analyst thrown into a nightmare, and her chapters feel it resource starvation, environmental puzzle-solving, and evading "smart zombies" that can track you by sound. Her gameplay draws from the same well as RE7 and Village: claustrophobic corridors, deliberate pacing, and the constant sense that you are outmatched. The game defaults to first-person for her sections, but third-person is available at any time by holding a button.
Leon's Chapters: Tactical Carnage
Leon plays like a refined RE4 Remake tactical parries, melee counters, tight gunplay but with a wrinkle: he's infected. His deteriorating condition is tracked through a visible status system that gets harder to manage on higher difficulties. His third-person camera is the default here, flipping the visual language from Grace's claustrophobia to Leon's wide-stance confidence. It works beautifully as contrast.
💡 Pro Tip: Switch to third-person on your first playthrough of Grace's chapters if horror isn't your genre — the broader FOV makes navigation less disorienting while preserving the full atmospheric tension of her story.
"Resident Evil Requiem is the most cinematic, bloody, surprisingly emotional moment for the franchise to-date. Its two protagonists complement one another for a balanced experience that feels more narrativized than ever before."
Platforms, Editions & Pricing: Which Version Should You Buy?
Requiem is a true next-gen exclusive no PS4, no Xbox One, no exceptions. This was a deliberate technical choice tied to the game's path-traced lighting system, which Capcom built from the ground up for ninth-generation hardware. Here's the full breakdown:
| Edition | Price (USD) | What's Included |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Edition | $69.99 | Base game + Apocalypse Costume for Grace (pre-order bonus) |
| Deluxe Edition | ~$89.99 | Base game + Deluxe Kit + 2-day early access (February 25) |
| Deluxe Steelbook Edition | Varies by retailer | Physical steelbook packaging + Deluxe Kit content |
| Collector's Edition [JP] | Import pricing | Physical collectibles, artbook, and game — Japan-exclusive release |
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC via Steam, and PC via Epic Games Store. The Nintendo Switch 2 version runs at a level that reportedly even surprised the developers, making it the go-to pick for players who want to experience the game portably without meaningful compromises.
⚠️ Important: The PC version has been flagged for initial driver compatibility issues by some RTX users. Check Nvidia's latest Game Ready drivers before launching to ensure the path-tracing features work as intended.
Reviews & Fan Reception: Is Resident Evil Requiem Actually Good?
Yes. Unambiguously. The Metacritic score of 88–89 (varying by platform) makes Requiem the best-reviewed mainline, non-remake Resident Evil since the original RE4 in 2005. Its user score of 9.5 briefly the highest on all of Metacritic tells an even more enthusiastic story. On Steam, 96% of over 39,000 reviews are positive, an "Overwhelmingly Positive" rating that puts it among the platform's elite.
📊 Key Stat: The entire Resident Evil franchise has now sold over 183 million cumulative units since the first game debuted in 1996, according to a Capcom press release — and Requiem is the single fastest title to reach 5 million in that 30-year run.
Criticism, where it exists, tends to focus on the back half of the campaign leaning too heavily on fan service at the expense of puzzle complexity, and on the locked chapter-alternating structure limiting replay freedom. These are real observations, not dealbreakers. As Kotaku's Kenneth Shepard noted in his review, the game's nostalgia does occasionally substitute for originality but the bones are so good that it barely registers as a flaw on a first run.
DLC is already in the works. Insider leaker Dusk Golem who correctly predicted both Grace and Leon's involvement before the reveal has stated that the first DLC will focus heavily on Leon, and that development was far enough along at launch that a 2026 release window is realistic. Given the campaign runs approximately 15 hours, there's real appetite for more.
Official Resident Evil Requiem Merch: Where to Buy and What to Get
Thirty years of franchise history means a merchandise ecosystem that spans everything from budget-friendly apparel to high-end collector statues. Here's what's currently available or confirmed for Requiem specifically and where to actually find it.
1. Grace Ashcroft & Leon S. Kennedy 1/6 Scale Figures
Announced at the January 15, 2026 Resident Evil Showcase, these are the headline collector pieces. Both figures are at 1/6 scale, designed to be displayed separately or connected as a paired set consistent with the previous Leon, Chris, and Jill figures from earlier collector's editions. No retail price has been confirmed yet, with a Fall 2026 release window. Watch Capcom's official product page for updates.
2. Amiibo — Grace Ashcroft & Leon S. Kennedy (Nintendo Switch 2)
Nintendo Switch 2-compatible amiibo figures for both protagonists are confirmed for summer 2026. These are functionally tied to the Switch 2 version of the game, though they'll serve as collectibles regardless. Pre-announcement images show strong sculpt quality consistent with recent amiibo releases.
3. Official Apparel via Capcom x Amazon
Capcom's official apparel line accessible through their e-Capcom Amazon storefront — now includes Requiem-specific Grace Art T-shirts, long-sleeve shirts, and sweatshirts in both front-print (FP) and back-print (BP) variants. These are officially licensed, made to order, and ship internationally. Prices align with standard Capcom apparel (~$25–$45 USD).
4. Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller — Resident Evil Requiem Edition
A limited-run themed Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller launched alongside the game on February 27, 2026. Stock has been volatile check GameStop and official Nintendo storefronts for current availability.
5. Resident Evil Generation Pack — 30th Special Packs (Vol. 1 & 2)
These physical bundles celebrate three decades of the franchise and include content spanning multiple games. Both launched February 27 alongside Requiem. Available through Collector's Editions UK and major gaming retailers.
6. Third-Party & Fan Merch (Etsy, Numskull, Redbubble)
For items outside Capcom's official catalog enamel pins, limited art prints, handmade cosplay props Etsy's Resident Evil Requiem section and Numskull's RE collection are the best starting points. Quality varies by seller, so check review counts before ordering.
💡 Pro Tip: The 1/6 scale figures will likely sell out fast at launch follow Capcom's official social accounts and enable restock alerts through your preferred retailer now, before the Fall 2026 window opens.
Frequently Asked Questions
What platforms is Resident Evil Requiem available on?
Resident Evil Requiem is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via both Steam and Epic Games Store. It launched simultaneously on all platforms on February 27, 2026. There is no version for older-generation consoles such as PS4 or Xbox One.
Is Resident Evil Requiem a direct sequel to Resident Evil Village?
Yes, Requiem is the next mainline entry after Village (2021), though it features a new protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, rather than Ethan Winters. It returns to Raccoon City lore rather than continuing Village's storyline directly, making it accessible to players unfamiliar with the recent first-person games.
How long is the Resident Evil Requiem campaign?
The main campaign runs approximately 15 hours on a standard first playthrough at normal difficulty. Players who explore thoroughly and attempt to find all collectibles can expect 18–22 hours. There is currently no New Game+ or Mercenaries mode, though DLC is confirmed.
Who is Grace Ashcroft in Resident Evil 9?
Grace Ashcroft is an FBI intelligence analyst and the new primary protagonist of Requiem. She is the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft from Resident Evil Outbreak (2003). Capcom describes her as an introverted analytical thinker who relies on deduction and stealth rather than combat proficiency.
Where can I buy official Resident Evil Requiem merchandise?
Official merchandise is available through Capcom's e-Capcom Amazon storefront, the Resident Evil official product page, GameStop, and major gaming retailers. For third-party and fan-made items, Etsy and Numskull's Resident Evil collection are reliable options. The 1/6 scale figures ship Fall 2026.
Do I need to play previous Resident Evil games to understand Requiem?
No. Grace's story is self-contained enough for newcomers. Familiarity with Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil Outbreak enriches the lore, but Capcom designed the narrative so that players new to the series can follow the full story without prior knowledge of the franchise's 30-year history.
The Verdict
Resident Evil Requiem is the franchise firing on every cylinder simultaneously: new protagonist, returning icon, dual gameplay philosophies, stunning RE Engine tech, and a story that finally closes some loops fans have been waiting 28 years to see resolved. Five million copies in five days isn't hype it's evidence that Capcom read the room correctly after decades of trial and error.
If you're picking up your first copy, the standard edition is the smart buy unless portability or early access matters to you. If you're a collector, the 1/6 scale figures are the prize bookmark the product page now and set alerts. And if you're after apparel to wear to your next late-night session, the official Grace Art lineup on Amazon is genuinely well-designed for once.
The nightmare isn't over. It's just getting started.
📚 Sources & References
- Resident Evil Requiem — Wikipedia (March 2026)
- Resident Evil Requiem Official Site — Capcom
- Resident Evil Requiem on Steam — Capcom (February 2026)
- Capcom Press Release: Resident Evil Requiem Release Date Announcement — BusinessWire, June 2025
- Resident Evil Requiem Surges to Franchise Record: 5 Million Copies Sold — Collider, March 2026
- Resident Evil Requiem Metacritic Score Analysis — GamesRadar+ (February 2026)
- Resident Evil Requiem Has Highest User Score of All Time on Metacritic — VGC (March 2026)
- Resident Evil Requiem Leon and Grace 1/6 Scale Figures Announced — Nintendo Wire, January 2026
- Official Capcom Resident Evil Apparel — e-Capcom Amazon Store
- Resident Evil Requiem DLC Release Date Teased — NotebookCheck, March 2026
