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Raccoon City is a fictional town in the Resident Evil franchise. Capcom’s official material places it broadly in the American Midwest, but it does not name a U.S. state, give real-world coordinates, or identify a real city as its model. The accurate answer to “Where is Raccoon City?” is therefore: somewhere in the Midwest, within a fictional setting that has no exact map location.
What Capcom’s official material says
Capcom has described the town’s location in three official places. Each uses regional language rather than a specific place name.
| Source | Context | Location wording |
|---|---|---|
| Capcom Resident Evil Portal lineup page | Premise of Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (the 2021 film) | “now a dying Midwestern town” |
| Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City manual (PlayStation 3) | Game manual, September 1998 backstory | “located in the American midwest” |
| Resident Evil Zero manual (Wii) | Game manual | Described as a Midwest suburb |
Capcom’s official timeline also places Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 in the city, but it does not add a state or region beyond the Midwest wording above.
The 1998 outbreak and the two timelines
Capcom’s official timeline dates Resident Evil 3 to September 28, 1998 and Resident Evil 2 to September 29, 1998. Both stories unfold in Raccoon City during the outbreak, and their events happen at around the same time. Capcom also labels Welcome to Raccoon City as a separate timeline from the video games, so the two continuities should not be merged when you discuss the town.
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Video game continuity
In the games, Raccoon City is the outbreak zone for both Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3. The official sources do not give a street-level or state-level map for it, so anything beyond “Midwestern town in the outbreak” is an inference rather than something Capcom has stated.
Film continuity
The 2021 film’s premise is different in tone. Capcom’s description says the town was once the “booming home” of Umbrella Corporation and is now a dying Midwestern town, linking its decline to the company’s departure. That description is useful for understanding the film’s setup, but it is not evidence of a real-world town or a single canonical state for every version of the setting.
Rank #2
- As consciousness returns and you blink shadows from your eyes, all you can hear is the ringing in your ears. At first, you think it might be from the bells, as you recall racing through the Clock Tower in search of gears to sound the great bell.
- Then the blood drains from your face as the memories begin to surface. You thought you’d escaped Raccoon City. But it isn’t over yet.
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- This expansion will drastically change the course of your Resident Evil 3: The Board Game campaign, taking you beyond the built-up city streets to brand new locations plagued by new enemies.
- But new enemies aren’t your only threat. To move forward, you must adapt to new gameplay mechanics introduced by the changed environment. Creep silently through the City Hospital. Wade through flood water in the City Park.
Why the sources stop at “Midwest”
Capcom uses a region rather than a state, and it does not name a real city as the inspiration. A specific state or real-city equivalent would therefore go beyond what the official material establishes. If you are writing about the town, “Midwestern” is the defensible term, and “fictional” should accompany it. Avoid presenting a map pin or a named Midwestern city as the official location.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Quoting the official wording
Two passages are worth quoting exactly, with their context:
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- From Capcom’s Resident Evil Portal lineup page, describing the film: “In RESIDENT EVIL: WELCOME TO RACCOON CITY, once the booming home of pharmaceutical giant Umbrella Corporation, Raccoon City is now a dying Midwestern town.”
- From the Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City manual: “September 1998. Raccoon City, located in the American midwest, fell victim to a large scare outbreak.” The phrase “large scare outbreak” is the manual’s own wording.
No individual speaker is named for either passage. Attribute them to Capcom or to the game manual rather than to a named writer or designer.
Where to experience the setting
The clearest way to see Raccoon City as the games present it is to play Resident Evil 2 or Resident Evil 3, the two titles Capcom’s timeline ties to the town’s 1998 outbreak. Check Capcom’s current listings for which editions and platforms are available, since availability changes over time.
Quick Recap
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