Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Resident Evil
open-in-new
<p><i>Resident Evil</i>, known as <i>Biohazard</i> (バイオハザード, <i>Baiohazādo</i>) in <a href="/facts/Japan/U5mz0SRT">Japan</a>, is a Japanese <a href="/facts/Horror_game/XJmgEGsF">horror game</a> series and <a href="/facts/Media_franchise/IBzGhQjA">media franchise</a> created by <a href="/facts/Capcom/XBPVAyhV">Capcom</a>. It consists of <a href="/facts/Survival_horror/D2W9mT45">survival horror</a>, <a href="/facts/Third-person_shooter/gCNat5DR">third-person shooter</a> and <a href="/facts/First-person_shooter/LQQX6yAw">first-person shooter</a> games, with players typically surviving in environments inhabited by <a href="/facts/Zombies_in_Resident_Evil/mcPjAgUp">zombies</a> and other mutated creatures. The franchise has expanded into other media, including a <a href="/facts/Resident_Evil_(film_series)/jrhcbMqe">live-action film series</a>, animated films, television series, <a href="/facts/Comic_book/xGFkPrMT">comic books</a>, <a href="/facts/Novel/3Q8sXXLU">novels</a>, <a href="/facts/Audiobook/7JwAugme">audiobooks</a>, and merchandise. <i>Resident Evil</i> is among the <a href="/facts/List_of_highest-grossing_media_franchises/1NfBbxte">highest-grossing horror franchises</a>. </p><p>The first <i><a href="/facts/Resident_Evil_(1996_video_game)/Qo31rbtf">Resident Evil</a></i> game was created by <a href="/facts/Shinji_Mikami/Jd9hQ5dP">Shinji Mikami</a> and <a href="/facts/Tokuro_Fujiwara/Dzg6EXIv">Tokuro Fujiwara</a> for <a href="/facts/PlayStation_(console)/z1vlbrvo">PlayStation</a>, and released in 1996. It is credited for defining the survival horror genre and returning zombies to popular culture. With <i><a href="/facts/Resident_Evil_4/5oLRaj35">Resident Evil 4</a></i> (2005), the franchise shifted to more dynamic shooting action, popularizing the "over-the-shoulder" <a href="/facts/Third-person_(video_games)/fCkGL0Gj">third-person view</a> in action-adventure games. </p><p>The franchise returned to survival horror with <i><a href="/facts/Resident_Evil_7%3a_Biohazard/n54MyMCL">Resident Evil 7: Biohazard</a></i> (2017) and <i><a href="/facts/Resident_Evil_Village/AKX9Unvs">Resident Evil Village</a></i> (2021), which used a <a href="/facts/First-person_(video_games)/fvEfeqgs">first-person perspective</a>. Capcom has also released four <i>Resident Evil</i> <a href="/facts/Video_game_remake/dIgk3MvI">remakes</a>: <i><a href="/facts/Resident_Evil_(2002_video_game)/3AcSvHnw">Resident Evil</a></i> (2002), <i><a href="/facts/Resident_Evil_2_(2019_video_game)/AsDzERlQ">Resident Evil 2</a></i> (2019), <i><a href="/facts/Resident_Evil_3_(2020_video_game)/BWP0vBaX">Resident Evil 3</a></i> (2020) and <i><a href="/facts/Resident_Evil_4_(2023_video_game)/whJLuuux">Resident Evil 4</a></i> (2023). <i>Resident Evil</i> is Capcom's <a href="/facts/List_of_best-selling_video_game_franchises/fm1sK5Bh">best-selling franchise</a> and the best-selling <a href="/facts/Horror_game/XJmgEGsF">horror game</a> series, with more than 160 million copies sold worldwide as of December 2024. On June 6, 2025, a new installment to the series, titled <i>Resident Evil Requiem</i>, was announced at the Summer Game Fest and is set to release on February 27, 2026. </p><p>The first <i><a href="/facts/Resident_Evil_(film_series)/jrhcbMqe">Resident Evil</a></i> film was released in 2002, starring <a href="/facts/Milla_Jovovich/LWp7CtKr">Milla Jovovich</a>. It was followed by five sequels and a reboot, <i><a href="/facts/Welcome_to_Raccoon_City/BpP1wqFj">Welcome to Raccoon City</a></i> (2021). The films received mostly negative reviews, but have grossed more than $1.2 billion, making <i>Resident Evil</i> the third-highest-grossing <a href="/facts/List_of_highest-grossing_films_based_on_video_games/F1JAJcPX">video game film series</a>. </p>