Resident Evil 9 Returns to Raccoon City After Outbreak

In a recent interview, developers shared that the decision to bring Resident Evil 9 back to its iconic origin, Raccoon City, stemmed from their own sense of curiosity. Continue reading to discover their perspective on revisiting this legendary location and how they plan to balance the horror elements within this familiar setting.

Resident Evil 9 Makes Its Return to Raccoon City

Developers Are Intrigued by the Outbreak's Aftermath

According to the game's director, Koshi Nakanishi, the highly anticipated return to Raccoon City in Resident Evil 9: Requiem did not originate from an elaborate narrative blueprint but from a place of simple curiosity.

"I've always found myself wondering, 'What becomes of the people caught in such events and those connected to them afterward?' I've long wanted to explore that properly... It's a strange comparison, but it's like forgetting about rice you've left in a cooker and then a week later thinking, 'I wonder what it would look like if I opened the lid now...'," Nakanishi told 4Gamer in an interview.

Raccoon City served as the primary setting for the original Resident Evil titles and was the epicenter of the events that set many of the series' core plotlines in motion. This included the devastating viral outbreak that transformed the city into a desolate ruin, leaving very few survivors in its wake.

Alyssa Ashcroft, a main playable character from Resident Evil Outbreak and the mother of RE9's protagonist, Grace, was one of the survivors of this catastrophe. Her death years later becomes the motivating force that drives her daughter to venture into the ruins of Raccoon City. The game will follow Grace's personal and emotional journey as she seeks to find closure regarding her mother's tragic passing, a narrative thread that Nakanishi confirmed is the reason behind the game's subtitle, "Requiem."

Director Aims to Carefully Pace the Horror

Beyond the return to Raccoon City, Nakanishi also reflected on previous Resident Evil titles and how they influenced his strategy for balancing the horror components in RE9.

In a separate discussion with GamesRadar, the director explained his intention to space out the game's horror sequences, noting that players can feel overwhelmed without adequate breathing room. Citing the well-paced horror of both RE7 and the RE2 remake as references, he emphasized that moments of relief and catharsis are just as crucial as the intense scares that come before them to deliver an optimal player experience.

“You need this dynamic pacing structure where you experience a very tense, frightening sequence,” Nakanishi explained to GamesRadar through a translator. “Then we provide a moment of release or catharsis from that tension, allowing you to decompress with quieter exploration or some engaging combat, before we gradually guide you back up towards the next peak of horror.”

A New System to Change the Formula

Nakanishi also acknowledged that, alongside carefully managing the horror pacing, a new gameplay system introduced in RE9 will significantly alter the experience.

"My goal is to make the gap between moments of sheer horror tension and their subsequent release wider than in any previous game in the series," Nakanishi commented. "This will create a complete roller coaster ride between the different facets of the game. I'm very eager for players to eventually understand precisely what I mean by that."

Resident Evil Requiem is scheduled for release on February 27, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. For the most current news and updates on the game, be sure to read our article below!