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Resident Evil Remakes in Order: How to Play the 1998 Stories and Beyond

RE3 starts before RE2 and overlaps its Raccoon City story. Here are two ways to play the remakes, plus what the timeline does—and does not—say about separate canons.

By VGSources Team 4 min read
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For the closest chronological order, play the 2002 Resident Evil remake, the opening of Resident Evil 3 (2020), Resident Evil 2 (2019), the rest of Resident Evil 3, then Resident Evil 4 (2023). The RE3 split is optional: the two Raccoon City games overlap, but Capcom does not require a mid-game switch. If you would rather finish each campaign uninterrupted, play the four games in that same order except put all of Resident Evil 2 before Resident Evil 3.

Chronological order for the remakes

Capcom’s official Resident Evil Portal timeline dates the relevant incidents this way: the Mansion Incident in Resident Evil is July 24, 1998; Resident Evil 3 begins September 28; Resident Evil 2 is dated September 29; and Resident Evil 4 takes place in autumn 2004. RE3 continues into Raccoon City’s final days, so its story overlaps RE2 rather than ending before it begins.

  1. Resident Evil (2002 remake) — the Mansion Incident, July 24, 1998.
  2. Resident Evil 3 (2020 remake), opening portion — begins September 28, 1998.
  3. Resident Evil 2 (2019 remake) — the events are dated September 29, 1998.
  4. Finish Resident Evil 3 (2020 remake) — return to the outbreak story as it moves toward Raccoon City’s final days.
  5. Resident Evil 4 (2023 remake) — set in autumn 2004.

This is a practical chronology, not a Capcom-mandated sequence. Capcom describes RE3 Remake as beginning one day before RE2 Remake and ending during the city’s final days; it does not prescribe where players should pause RE3.

Where to pause RE3

GamesRadar’s March 18, 2026 chronological guide recommends stopping after the hospital sequence, when control changes to Carlos, then playing RE2 before returning to RE3. Treat that breakpoint as editorial guidance for aligning the stories, not as an official chapter boundary or required way to play. The chronology works without the split if interrupting a campaign would be less enjoyable.

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The simple order if you want to finish each game

For uninterrupted campaigns, play Resident Evil (2002 remake) → Resident Evil 2 (2019 remake) → Resident Evil 3 (2020 remake) → Resident Evil 4 (2023 remake). This is easy to follow, but not strictly chronological: RE3’s outbreak story starts a day before RE2’s dated events.

Approach Order Best for Trade-off
Chronology-first RE1 remake → opening RE3 → RE2 → finish RE3 → RE4 Players who want the Raccoon City stories aligned as closely as practical. Requires pausing and restarting RE3; the suggested breakpoint is editorial guidance.
Finish each game RE1 remake → RE2 → RE3 → RE4 Players who prefer uninterrupted campaigns and a straightforward list. RE2 comes after RE3 has already begun in the story chronology.

Do the originals and remakes form separate timelines?

The evidence supports calling the newer games retellings of corresponding incidents, not declaring a definitive pair of separate canons. Capcom calls the 2019 Resident Evil 2 a reimagining of the 1998 game and the 2023 Resident Evil 4 a remake of the 2005 game. Its timeline assigns the remade incidents their established dates, but the cited sources do not say every story detail matches scene for scene or define formal “original” and “remake” continuities. A safe description is that the remakes preserve the broad chronology while changing story and presentation.

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Do you need to play the originals first?

No requirement to play the original versions first is established by these sources. The remakes can be approached as retellings in their own right; playing the older releases is a separate choice for readers interested in comparing how the games tell their stories. The chronology above concerns the remake releases and does not claim that every plot detail is identical to the originals.

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Which releases and editions are covered?

This order refers to the listed remakes: Resident Evil (2002), Resident Evil 2 (2019), Resident Evil 3 (2020), and Resident Evil 4 (2023). Capcom’s cited RE2 release information lists PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Its RE4 announcement gives a March 24, 2023 release date and identifies it as a remake of the 2005 game. Store availability and editions can vary by platform, so check the relevant storefront before buying.

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Digital trilogy bundle

Capcom lists a digital Resident Evil Remake Trilogy bundle for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC (Steam). It includes Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition, Resident Evil 3, Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition, and additional content including Resident Evil Resistance, the RE3 Classic Costume Pack, and RE4 The Mercenaries. Capcom warns that RE4 Gold Edition is not compatible with Xbox One and advises checking each store listing and avoiding duplicate purchases of items already available individually.

Switch 2 release dates

In an announcement dated September 10, 2026, Capcom scheduled Switch 2 digital editions of RE2 Deluxe Edition, RE3, and RE4 Gold Edition for October 16, 2026, and physical editions for January 29, 2027. Those dates are future-dated relative to the announcement; confirm current availability with the store before relying on them.

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Sources and timeline details

  • Capcom’s official timeline dates Resident Evil 0 to July 23, 1998; the Mansion Incident to July 24, 1998; RE3 to a September 28 start; RE2 to September 29; Code: Veronica to December 1998; and RE4 to autumn 2004. Resident Evil 0 and Code: Veronica are not part of the four-remake sequence above.
  • Capcom reported in 2022 that the 2019 Resident Evil 2 had shipped over 10 million units worldwide. That is a dated milestone, not a current lifetime total.
  • Capcom reported 213 million cumulative Resident Evil game units as of June 30, 2026. This is franchise-wide and does not describe remake sales alone.

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