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PATCH 2026.10.30

Resident Evil Games in Order: The Best Sequence for First-Time Players

By VGSources Team 10 min read

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For a first playthrough, use this release-oriented story route: Resident Evil (preferably the 2002 remake), Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3, Code: Veronica, Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil 5, Resident Evil 6, Resident Evil 7 biohazard, Resident Evil Village, then Resident Evil Requiem. This order follows how the series introduced its major arcs while keeping the modern games accessible.

Add Resident Evil 0 after the first game if you want the prequel, and place Resident Evil Revelations between 4 and 5 plus Revelations 2 between 5 and 6 for a fuller continuity route. A strict event chronology starts with 0, but it places the overlapping Raccoon City stories in a way that is less straightforward for newcomers.

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At a glance
Name Best for Key spec Checked
Recommended first-playthrough route New players who want clear character and gameplay progression Resident Evil (2002 remake) → 2 → 3 → Code: Veronica → 4 → 5 → 6 → 7 → Village → Requiem Oct 2026
Strict event chronology Players prioritizing fictional dates over release flow 0 (July 23, 1998) → Resident Evil (July 24) → 3 (Sept. 28) → 2 (Sept. 29) → Code: Veronica → 4 → Revelations → 5 → Revelations 2 → 6 → 7 → Village Oct 2026
Expanded continuity route Players who want the major side stories as well as the numbered games Recommended route plus 0 after the first game, Revelations between 4/5 and Revelations 2 between 5/6 Oct 2026

What order should first-time players follow?

The release-oriented sequence below is an editorial recommendation, not an order required by Capcom. It keeps the series’ major reveals in the order most players encountered them, while allowing a remake to stand in for the original version of the same story.

  1. Resident Evil (2002 remake preferred)

    The remake retells the mansion incident that introduced the series. The original game released in 1996, while Capcom lists the 2002 remake separately as a later version of that story. Choose one for your first run; the remake is generally the more approachable entry for players using modern systems.

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  2. Resident Evil 2

    After the mansion case, the story moves to Raccoon City and follows Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield. The original and its remake occupy the same narrative slot, so finishing both is better treated as a replay or historical comparison than as two mandatory chapters.

  3. Resident Evil 3

    Play this after 2 for the simplest first-time flow. Its Raccoon City events overlap the second game, but its campaign gives a different perspective on the outbreak and brings that chapter to its conclusion.

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  4. Resident Evil Code: Veronica

    This is the important non-numbered continuation between the Raccoon City games and Resident Evil 4. Claire’s story continues here, and Capcom dates the events to December 1998.

  5. Resident Evil 4

    Set in autumn 2004, 4 shifts the series toward faster action and a broader globe-spanning conspiracy. It follows Leon after the Raccoon City period, making Code: Veronica useful context even though 4 can be played without it.

  6. Resident Evil 5

    Capcom places 5 in March 2009. It continues the bioterrorism storyline established by the earlier games and is the natural next main-series chapter after 4.

  7. Resident Evil 6

    The events occur in June 2013. Multiple character campaigns cover the same worldwide crisis from different viewpoints, so keeping it after 5 preserves the development of the series’ recurring cast.

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  8. Resident Evil 7 biohazard

    Move next to the Baker House incident in 2017. The first-person perspective and new protagonist make 7 feel like a reset in tone, but its later revelations connect it to the wider series.

  9. Resident Evil Village

    Village follows 7 directly and is set in February 2021. Playing the two together keeps Ethan Winters’ arc in sequence.

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  10. Resident Evil Requiem

    Requiem is the newest released main-series installment. Capcom released it on February 27, 2026, and identifies it as the ninth main-series entry, with FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft and Leon S. Kennedy as protagonists. Put it after Village for a first run; Capcom’s published chronology does not establish Requiem’s exact fictional year.

Should I play Resident Evil 0 first?

Not necessarily. Resident Evil 0 is the chronological beginning, but starting with the mansion story better reflects the series’ original introduction and gives the prequel more context.

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Capcom dates 0 to July 23, 1998, one day before the first Resident Evil story on July 24. For a first playthrough, begin with Resident Evil (the 2002 remake or the 1996 original), then play 0 immediately afterward if you want the backstory of the incident and its investigators. This avoids asking a newcomer to begin with a prequel whose connections make more sense after the original setup.

In the expanded route, the opening is therefore Resident Evil → Resident Evil 0 → Resident Evil 2. In the strict chronology route, it is 0 → Resident Evil. Both are defensible; the choice is whether you value introduction or fictional date order.

Do I play Resident Evil 2 or 3 first?

Play Resident Evil 2 before Resident Evil 3 for the clearest first-time progression. Choose 3 first only when your priority is matching the earliest event date.

Capcom dates the start of 3 to September 28, 1998, and the start of 2 to September 29. The games overlap rather than forming two consecutive, non-overlapping episodes. Capcom describes the Resident Evil 3 remake this way: “The story starts one day before RE2: Remake and ends during the final days of Raccoon City.”

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That means no simple whole-game list can reproduce every scene’s exact order. A chronology-focused player can use 3 → 2, but a newcomer may find 2 → 3 easier because it introduces the city and its central characters before showing the outbreak’s final phase. Either order leaves the overlap intact; neither is a continuity error.

Where does Code: Veronica go?

Place Code: Veronica after Resident Evil 3 and before Resident Evil 4. Capcom dates it to December 1998, making it the next major story after the Raccoon City incidents.

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It is not a numbered entry, but skipping it removes a substantial part of Claire Redfield’s continuing story and the series’ Umbrella-focused thread. Players interested only in the numbered spine can defer it, while a character-focused route should include it in its original position.

Where do the Revelations games fit?

The two Revelations titles are optional additions with clear chronological slots. They do not need to be completed before you try the main series.

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  • Resident Evil Revelations: Capcom places it in 2005, between Resident Evil 4 (autumn 2004) and Resident Evil 5 (March 2009).
  • Resident Evil Revelations 2: Capcom places it in 2011, between Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6 (June 2013).

For the expanded route, use 4 → Revelations → 5 → Revelations 2 → 6. The placement preserves the chronology of the returning characters without making either side story a prerequisite for understanding the numbered games.

What is the strict chronological order?

This list follows Capcom’s fictional event dates, not the games’ publication dates. Because Resident Evil 2 and 3 overlap, the sequence is an approximation at the whole-game level rather than a frame-by-frame timeline.

  1. Resident Evil 0 — July 23, 1998.
  2. Resident Evil — July 24, 1998.
  3. Resident Evil 3 — begins September 28, 1998.
  4. Resident Evil 2 — begins September 29, 1998.
  5. Code: Veronica — December 1998.
  6. Resident Evil 4 — autumn 2004.
  7. Resident Evil Revelations — 2005.
  8. Resident Evil 5 — March 2009.
  9. Resident Evil Revelations 2 — 2011.
  10. Resident Evil 6 — June 2013.
  11. Resident Evil 7 biohazard — 2017.
  12. Resident Evil Village — February 2021.
  13. Resident Evil Requiem — after the older core games as the latest released main-series game; Capcom has not supplied a precise in-universe year in the published timeline.

These dates describe when events occur inside the fiction. They are not release dates: for example, the first Resident Evil released on March 22, 1996, while its story takes place in 1998.

Do the remakes replace the originals?

For a practical play order, one version of each story is enough. A remake does not create a new numbered event that must be inserted alongside the original.

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Capcom’s history distinguishes original releases from remakes, so the 1996 Resident Evil and the 2002 Resident Evil remake are separate products but retell the same opening incident. The same principle applies to the modern versions of Resident Evil 2, 3 and 4: choose the edition that fits your platform and preferred presentation, then continue to the next story slot.

Play the originals later if you want to study how the series changed design, pacing and presentation. Do not alternate original and remake versions during a first run unless comparing them is itself your goal; doing so repeats major plot beats before the overall arc has advanced.

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Where does Requiem fit?

Resident Evil Requiem is already released, not an upcoming game. Capcom announced its release for February 27, 2026, and describes it as the ninth main-series entry. The protagonists are FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft and Leon S. Kennedy, and executive producer Jun Takeuchi wrote on March 22, 2026, “Last month, we released Resident Evil Requiem.”

Capcom also describes a return to Raccoon City, but that setting does not establish the game’s fictional year. Do not use the 2026 release date as an in-story date; the published Capcom chronology currently reaches Village and does not assign Requiem a precise year.

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When checking editions, the phrase “Resident Evil Requiem PS5 Standard Edition” is an edition name Capcom used in a U.S. promotion. It confirms the name of that edition, not a current retailer’s stock, price or disc contents. Verify the platform and format with the storefront you intend to use.

Capcom has also announced Resident Evil 2, 3 and 4 for Nintendo Switch 2 on October 16, 2026. Store availability can vary by region and can change, so check the relevant storefront before buying.

What if I only want the numbered games?

A compact route is Resident Evil → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → 7 → Village → Requiem. This is easy to follow and covers the main numbered spine.

You would miss Claire’s continuation in Code: Veronica and the connective side stories in Revelations and Revelations 2. Those omissions do not make the numbered games incomprehensible, but they leave out character development and events that Capcom places between the numbered entries. Add them whenever you want a fuller continuity pass rather than treating them as mandatory before starting.

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Which route is best for your goal?

Your priority Use this route What you gain
First-time accessibility Resident Evil (2002 remake) → 2 → 3 → Code: Veronica → 4 → 5 → 6 → 7 → Village → Requiem Release-style escalation and a clear introduction to recurring characters
Strict fictional chronology 0 → Resident Evil → 3 → 2 → Code: Veronica → 4 → Revelations → 5 → Revelations 2 → 6 → 7 → Village → Requiem Capcom’s dated event sequence, with the Raccoon City overlap understood
Numbered-series only Resident Evil → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → 7 → Village → Requiem The shortest path through the main numbered line
Character and Umbrella continuity Add 0 after Resident Evil, Code: Veronica after 3, and both Revelations games in their dated slots More context for Claire, the Raccoon City aftermath and the bioterrorism arc

How we picked

The routes use Capcom’s release history and dated chronology, then balance first-time accessibility, character continuity, the distinction between originals and remakes, and the practical fact that players may own different platforms or editions. They are editorial choices, not publisher-mandated requirements.

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Which other spin-offs are worth placing on the timeline?

Capcom’s wider history also includes Outbreak and the Chronicles games. They are optional expansions rather than required stops for a newcomer.

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The Chronicles titles revisit or span earlier incidents in an on-rails format, so inserting them between the main games can repeat events you have already seen. Outbreak broadens the Raccoon City perspective but is not needed to connect the numbered stories. Treat both as side material for after you know the core sequence, not as hurdles before Requiem.

What should you check before buying?

  • Confirm whether you are buying an original release or a remake; they share a story slot but are different products.
  • Check the platform and regional storefront, especially for the announced Nintendo Switch 2 versions of 2, 3 and 4 dated October 16, 2026.
  • Do not assume a named bundle is a physical box. Capcom’s Resident Evil Remake Trilogy groups Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition, Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition with additional content on digital storefronts.
  • If you are starting with Requiem, verify the exact edition and format rather than relying on a promotion’s edition name to establish current inventory or included content.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Resident Evil Remake Trilogy a physical collection?

Capcom describes that trilogy as a digital-storefront grouping of the Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition, Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition with additional content. Treat it as a digital offer unless your regional storefront independently lists a physical product.

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What does “Resident Evil Requiem PS5 Standard Edition” mean?

It is the name of a PS5 edition Capcom used in a U.S. anniversary promotion. The wording identifies the edition, but it does not guarantee a particular retailer has stock, a specific disc package or a fixed price.

Can I play the original Resident Evil after the 2002 remake?

Yes. The original 1996 release is valuable as a historical version of the same opening story, but it is optional once you have completed the remake. Playing it afterward avoids delaying the later Raccoon City and Umbrella chapters with a second telling of the mansion incident.

Does the release date tell me when Requiem happens in the story?

No. February 27, 2026 is the game’s publication date. Capcom’s dated timeline currently does not give Requiem a precise fictional year, so place it after Village without converting its launch date into an in-universe date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Resident Evil Remake Trilogy a physical collection?

Capcom describes that trilogy as a digital-storefront grouping of the Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition, Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition with additional content. Treat it as a digital offer unless your regional storefront independently lists a physical product.

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What does “Resident Evil Requiem PS5 Standard Edition” mean?

It is the name of a PS5 edition Capcom used in a U.S. anniversary promotion. The wording identifies the edition, but it does not guarantee a particular retailer has stock, a specific disc package or a fixed price.

Can I play the original Resident Evil after the 2002 remake?

Yes. The original 1996 release is a historical version of the same opening story and is optional once you have completed the remake. Playing it afterward avoids delaying the later chapters with a second telling of the mansion incident.

Does the release date tell me when Requiem happens in the story?

No. February 27, 2026 is the game’s publication date. Capcom’s dated timeline does not give Requiem a precise fictional year, so place it after Village without treating its launch date as an in-story date.

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