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Resident Evil

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Resident Evil is a massive Japanese media franchise created by Capcom.

Resident Evil logo
Resident Evil logo

It is famous for establishing the survival horror genre. This genre focuses on players surviving in dangerous environments. These environments are often filled with zombies and mutated creatures. The series has become one of the highest-grossing horror franchises in history. It is also Capcom's best-selling franchise. As of March 2025, it has sold many millions of copies worldwide. The series features iconic characters like Leon S. Kennedy and Chris Redfield.

Gameplay in the series has changed many times over the decades. Early games focused on survival and resource management. Resident Evil 4, released in 2005, shifted toward dynamic shooting action. This game popularized the "over-the-shoulder" third-person view. This camera angle is now common in many action-adventure games. Later, the series returned to horror roots with Resident Evil 7: Biohazard in 2017. This installment used a first-person perspective to increase tension. Resident Evil Village, released in 2021, continued using this first-person view. The ninth main game, Resident Evil Requiem, arrived in February 2026.

There are many different types of Resident Evil games. Some are traditional survival horror titles. Others are third-person shooters or first-person games. The series also includes the Gun Survivor series, which uses light guns. The Chronicles series features first-person gameplay on an "on-rails" path. There are also spin-offs like the strategy game Resident Evil: Survival Unit. Capcom has also released several remakes of older titles. These remakes update the graphics and gameplay for newer consoles. The Resident Evil 2 remake was a massive success. It sold over five million copies within just one year.

The history of the franchise began in 1993.

Umbrella Corporation logo
Umbrella Corporation logo

Tokuro Fujiwara asked Shinji Mikami to develop a new project. They used elements from an older game called Sweet Home. In Japan, the first game was titled Biohazard. When preparing to release the game in the United States, Capcom faced a problem. The name Biohazard was already used by a DOS game and a punk band. A contest was held among company employees to find a new name. They chose Resident Evil for the Western market. The first game debuted on the PlayStation in 1996.

The stories often center on the Umbrella Corporation.

Umbrella Corporation logo
Umbrella Corporation logo

This is an international pharmaceutical company. It secretly researches mutagenic viruses to create bio-organic weapons, or BOWs. These viruses can turn humans into mindless zombies. They can also mutate plants and animals into monsters. Much of the early story takes place in Raccoon City. This is a fictional metropolis in the Arklay Mountains of the United States. The city became a major setting because of a deadly T-virus outbreak. The U.S. government eventually destroyed the city with a nuclear missile to stop the virus.

Characters must navigate these dangerous outbreaks to survive.

Resident Evil Bar
Resident Evil Bar

In the first game, the STARS police task force investigates a mansion. Members like Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield discover Umbrella's secret labs. Later, characters like Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield arrive in Raccoon City. They must escape the chaos before the city is destroyed. Some characters, like Albert Wesker, are revealed to be double agents. The series uses these high-stakes stories to drive the action. These characters have become recognized video game icons due to their many adventures.

Resident Evil has expanded far beyond video games.

Resident Evil (Movie logo)
Resident Evil (Movie logo)

It is now a complete media franchise. This includes live-action films, animated movies, and television series. There are also comic books, novels, and audiobooks. The live-action film series has been very successful financially. Even though the films received mostly negative reviews, they grossed more than $1.2 billion. This makes Resident Evil the third-highest-grossing video game film series ever. The franchise continues to connect different types of media through its dark and intense themes.

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Resident Evil (Movie logo).svg
File:Resident Evil Bar.jpg
Resident Evil Bar.jpg
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