Resident Evil Requiem Brings Back Raccoon City
Resident Evil Requiem is shaping up to be a major nostalgia trip for long time fans. Capcom is returning to Raccoon City, the legendary disaster zone that kicked off so much of the series lore. Now there is confirmation that some familiar faces tied to that incident will be back in the new game.
Producer Masato Kumazawa recently spoke about Requiem in an interview and finally addressed what everyone has been wondering. Will classic Resident Evil characters appear in the next mainline game
The answer is yes. With a small but important catch.
Kumazawa explained that players should not get carried away or expect a full cast reunion, but he did confirm that characters from past games who were involved in the original Raccoon City incident will show up in Resident Evil Requiem. That single detail is enough to set fan theories on fire all over again.
Raccoon City is not just a backdrop for the series. It is the place where the infamous T virus outbreak exploded into chaos. It is where the police station became a maze of horror, where Umbrella Corporation secrets started to spill out, and where some of the most beloved characters in the franchise survived their first nightmare. Requiem returning to those ruins and bringing back veterans of that disaster is a big deal for the story and for long time fans.
Who Could Return in Resident Evil Requiem
The second Kumazawa mentioned characters from the Raccoon City incident, one name jumped to the top of the wish list for many players Leon S. Kennedy. Ever since Requiem was teased, fans have been hoping to see the floppy haired rookie cop turned action hero wander back into the spotlight.
The setting could not be more perfect. A modern Resident Evil game that actually revisits Raccoon City practically begs for Leon to appear in some form. Fans have been spinning theories on how he might be woven into the story, and those theories got so loud that Capcom had to step in and clarify his role.
Capcom has already said that Leon is not the main protagonist of Resident Evil Requiem. According to the team, Leon has become so cool and confident over the years that it is hard to put him in a vulnerable horror role again. Horror works best when the lead character can be terrified right alongside the player, and Leon has grown into someone who just does not scare easily anymore.
That does not mean he is out of the picture. Capcom never ruled out a supporting role, a quick cameo, or some other kind of appearance. With Kumazawa now confirming that characters tied to the Raccoon City incident will be in the game, fans are reading between the lines and keeping the Leon hype alive.
Still, Leon is not the only potential returning star. The Raccoon City incident connects to a whole roster of iconic survivors, and several of them make a lot of sense for Requiem.
- Claire Redfield A fan favorite and one of the most likely candidates. Claire was central to the events in Raccoon City and has always had a strong link to its story.
- Jill Valentine One of the original series heroes, deeply involved in the Umbrella mess and the earlier outbreaks.
- Ada Wong The mysterious spy who often appears where trouble and secrets collide. A trip back to Raccoon City would suit her perfectly.
- Sherry Birkin A survivor with a complex past tied directly to the outbreak and the Umbrella experiments.
We already know that Alyssa Ashcroft appears in one of the trailers, seen alongside her daughter Grace Ashcroft, who has been confirmed as the brand new lead character for Requiem. Alyssa is a journalist from the Resident Evil Outbreak games and also has history with Raccoon City. Her presence fits Kumazawa’s tease perfectly and proves that Capcom is not afraid to dig into deeper cuts from the series timeline.
With Alyssa confirmed, it opens the door for other returning characters to appear as mentors, allies, or even obstacles for Grace as she navigates the ruins of the city.
What This Means For Fans And For Requiem
Kumazawa’s message comes with a clear warning. Yes, there will be returning characters, but players should not expect a giant fan service party where every single classic hero shows up for a roll call. Resident Evil Requiem is still telling its own story with its own lead, Grace Ashcroft, and those returning figures are there to support that narrative, not overshadow it.
At the same time, the confirmation that survivors from the Raccoon City incident are involved gives the game a strong connection to the series roots. For newcomers, that means Requiem could be an exciting entry point that nudges you to explore the older games afterward. For veterans, it means fresh lore and new interactions with characters you already care about.
The real trick for Capcom will be balancing nostalgia with suspense. Requiem has to feel like a modern horror experience, not just a greatest hits compilation. That likely explains why Leon is not leading the charge this time. A new protagonist can still be scared of the dark corners of Raccoon City, while the veterans from past games can drift in and out to raise the stakes, drop hints, or complicate the mission.
For now, all we truly know is this. Resident Evil Requiem is heading back to the ruins of Raccoon City. Characters who survived that nightmare before are coming back in some capacity. And somewhere in the shadows of that broken police station and those infected streets, fans are hoping to catch even a brief glimpse of a certain stylish government agent and a few of his legendary peers.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/resident-evil-requiem-producer-hints-at-the-return-of-some-characters-from-the-past-then-way-too-late-warns-players-not-to-over-expect-or-hype-it/
