The Resident Evil franchise has been going strong for years now, giving rise to multiple awesome games. Whether you’re someone who has recently started playing the Resident Evil games or has been a fan for years, everyone can use a refresher on where the canon of the games is currently. Because of that, here’s a compilation of the complete Resident Evil timeline, at least when it comes to the games.
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Before the games (1960s - 1998)
Many assume that the Raccoon City Disaster was when the Resident Evil timeline starts, but that’s not the case. Instead, the seeds of the disaster are sown well before that point. As you’ll be reminded after you buy Resident Evil Requiem from someplace such as LootBar, the series starts when a rare flower known as the Stairway to the Sun is discovered.
This flower may be in a remote region in West Africa, but it contains the Progenitor Virus. This virus is capable of causing dramatic genetic changes in living organisms, causing three specific scientists to become obsessed with its potential. Those scientists are:
Oswell E. Spencer
Edward Ashford
James Marcus
It’s established early on that all three scientists have different goals. Spencer wants to create a superior race that he can rule over, Ashford wants to advance in the realm of science, while Marcus just wants to study its secrets. The three found the Umbrella Corporation to learn further their goals.
Umbrella quickly becomes the largest pharmaceutical company in the world with multiple industries under its umbrella. It creates variants of the Progenitor Virus, including the T-Virus. The T-Virus could reanimate dead tissues, but had the minor issue of turning humans into zombies.
At the same time, Marcus was assassinated by Albert Wesker and William Birkin at the order of Spencer. However, Spencer didn’t know that mutant leeches had Marcus’ genetic material, reviving him years later. The same Albert Wesker was part of an experimentation project where children were experimented on to find someone worthy of Spencer’s vision.
The final founder of Umbrella, William Birkin, discovered the G-Virus, which continuously evolved. He decided to leave the company, but Umbrella’s higher-ups didn’t respond positively to this.
Raccoon City Disaster (1998)
In Resident Evil 0, a Bravo Team consisting of Rebecca Chambers and Enrico Marini was dispatched near the Arklay Mountains to investigate some disappearances. Rebecca met Billy Coen there, who was a former Marine sentenced to death. Marcus returns as singing leeches, but Rebecca and Billy ultimately destroy him. Billy is officially declared dead, while Rebecca moves on toward Spencer Mansion.
This leads to the events of Resident Evil, in which the Alpha Team is sent to Spencer Mansion to investigate the disappearance of the Bravo Team. This leads to multiple incidents, including:
Wesker revealing his true intentions
The tyrant being released
The mansion being destroyed
Umbrella still standing strong
Umbrella sends a team to recover Birkin’s research and shoot him. However, he survives and injects himself with the G-Virus, prompting samples of the virus to spread through the sewers, infecting rats and causing the Raccoon City Outbreak.
Multiple people get caught up in this outbreak, including:
Leon S. Kennedy
Claire Redfield
Sherry Birkin
Jill Valentine
Fortunately, all four manage to escape from the city fairly unscathed but mentally scarred. The U.S. government destroys the city, after which Leon gets recruited by the government to become an elite operative.
Resident Evil 4 (Mid-2000s)
Leon is given the mission to rescue the daughter of the U.S. President, Ashley Graham. This leads him to Las Plagas, which is inhabited by people with a unique parasite. Enemies here are smarter and arguably more dangerous. Everything revolves around Osmund Saddler, who wants global domination by infecting Ashley and sending her home to infect political leaders.
This doesn’t happen because Leon manages to stop Saddler. Not only that, but Ada Wong is also on the island to get a sample of the parasite to give to Wesker. She betrays Wesker in the last minute because of Leon, preventing him from getting the sample.
Resident Evil 5 (2009)
The BSAA evolves into a global anti-bioterror organization, while Chris becomes its best agent. He partners with Sheva Alomar to investigate illegal bioweapon sales in Africa. Chris tracks Spencer to Europe, though Wesker arrives first.
Here, Spencer finally reveals his true ambitions. While he reveals Wesker to be Spencer’s true successor, Wesker disagrees and murders Spencer in cold blood. Wesker acquires the Oroboros Virus, which turns survivors into superior beings. He also reveals that he had brainwashed Jill, though Chris and Sheva ultimately rescue her.
The final battle happens when Wesker injects himself with Oroboros. After a long fight, the two successfully kill Wesker using rocket launchers and an active volcano, closing out Wesker’s saga.
Resident Evil Revelations 2 (2011)
Years after the fall of Wesker, Claire works for a humanitarian organization called TerraSave. During a party at the organization’s headquarters, Claire is kidnapped and taken to the isolated Sejm Island alongside Moira Burton. Both are subjected to T-Phobos Virus-related experiments conducted by Alex Wesker, another survivor of Spencer’s project.
After six months, Barry Burton arrives on the island in search of her daughter. Joining him is a mysterious girl named Natalia Korda, who is eventually revealed to be Alex’s target all along. Alex wanted to transfer her consciousness into Natalia’s body, though that plan was thwarted.
Largest-scale outbreak (2012 - 2013)
Resident Evil 6 showcases the biggest outbreak in the series. It affects multiple countries and involves multiple protagonists. Everything revolves around Derek Simmons, who is the leader of the secret organization known as The Family. He becomes obsessed with Ada Wong and uses a lookalike to cause an outbreak through the unstable C-Virus.
Leon uncovers the involvement of Simmons, while Chris battles Neo-Umbrella and loses his squad in the process. At the same time, Albert Wesker’s son Jake Muller discovers that his blood is capable of resisting the C-Virus. He joins hands with Sherry Birkin to help develop a vaccine. The outbreaks are eventually contained, but the global ramifications are clear. Umbrella is no longer the only bioterrorist that the world has to watch out for.
Ethan Winters saga (2017 - 2021)
Resident Evil 7 and 8 follow Ethan Winters. He is an ordinary man searching for his missing wife, Mia. His search leads him to the Baker family, which has been corrupted by Eveline, a genetically engineered bioweapon created by a criminal organization called The Connections. Eveline uses the Mold to control people, forcing Ethan to fight through the Baker’s home to rescue Mia.
Things finally seemingly conclude when Chris arrives as part of a reformed Umbrella organization to eliminate the remaining threat. Ethan, Mia, and his daughter Rose see four years of peace. That peace is destroyed after Chris seemingly murders Mia and kidnaps Rose.
Ethan goes to an abandoned village to look for his daughter. There, he uncovers the schemes of Mother Miranda, a scientist who wants to resurrect her deceased daughter using Rose. Ethan also eventually learns that he died during the events of Resident Evil 7, only being sustained through the Mold.
After fearing Miranda, Ethan sacrifices himself to destroy Mother Miranda’s Megamycete and save his family. At the same time, Chris begins to investigate suspicious activities within the BSAA.
Resident Evil 8 also has a DLC set in 2037. However, it’s a contradiction of Ethan’s saga, seeing Rose Winters enter the consciousness of the Mold and learn to accept her powers.
Resident Evil 9: Requiem (2026)
Resident Evil 9: Requiem sees the latest point in the main timeline. It takes place about five years after Resident Evil Village and follows two protagonists. Series newcomer Grace Ashcroft is the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft, who investigates the mysterious deaths related to survivors of the Raccoon City incident.
Leon is also on the case, so both of their investigation cause them to eventually meet. From the Wrenwood Hotel to the destroyed ruins of Raccoon City, this game takes both frontrunners everywhere. Leon also receives support from Sherry Birkin, and both protagonists find a mysterious operative named Zeno, who strongly resembles Wesker.
Since this is the latest game in the series, it makes sense not to delve too much into its story. After all, it’s recommended to experience it for the first time by buying a Resident Evil Requiem Steam key. However, the stakes are very high here, and it clearly shows that Raccoon City’s victims are still haunted by the city’s legacy.
Conclusion
The Resident Evil games tell a complete story filled with ups and downs. It has introduced several fan-favorite protagonists over the years, and most fans can’t wait to see where the next mainline entry leads them.
