resident evil

Updated

Resident Evil, known as Biohazard in Japan, is a prominent Japanese media franchise created by Capcom that is primarily recognized for its influential survival horror video game series.

Video Game Series

  • Origins: The franchise debuted in 1996 with the original Resident Evil game, created by Shinji Mikami and Tokuro Fujiwara. It is credited with defining the survival horror genre and helping popularize zombie-themed media in popular culture.
  • Gameplay Style: The games typically feature players navigating environments—such as labs, abandoned buildings, and isolated towns—to survive against zombies and mutated creatures. The series has evolved over time, shifting from its classic fixed-camera survival horror roots to the dynamic "over-the-shoulder" third-person action introduced in Resident Evil 4 (2005), and later returning to a first-person perspective for titles like Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017) and Resident Evil Village (2021).
  • Core Lore: The overarching narrative frequently involves biological disasters caused by the "Umbrella Corporation," a pharmaceutical company secretly developing viruses and bioweapons.
  • Success: As of June 2026, the franchise has sold over 213 million copies worldwide, making it Capcom's best-selling franchise and the best-selling survival horror series in history.

Expanded Media

The franchise has expanded significantly beyond video games into a vast multimedia landscape, including:

  • Film & Television: The series has spawned multiple live-action and animated film projects, as well as television series. As of September 2026, new film entries continue to be developed and released.
  • Print & Merchandise: The Resident Evil universe also encompasses comic books, novels, audio dramas, and various merchandise.