Resident Evil Franchise

Why is the Resident Evil franchise so popular?

Today, the Resident Evil franchise extends far beyond the video game industry, encompassing live-action and animated movies, television series, comic books, and even audio dramas. With that in mind, it's no surprise that the list of RE games is impressive.

Its history dates back to 1996 when the first game was released on PlayStation. It certainly wasn't expected to be as commercially successful as it turned out to be, but it captured the hearts of gamers with its dark atmosphere, great storytelling, and diversified gameplay. Moreover, its rather unusual control system instilled a sense of dread that stuck with players for the longest time. After the success of the first entry, the Resident Evil series continued with new entries that were relatively well-received. However, the real breakthrough came when the developers decided to leave the top-down view behind. The fourth installment introduced the third-person view and shooter elements, which definitely struck a chord with players. The series has undoubtedly undergone many changes over the years, but it remains a staple of horror to this day. The iconic characters, gruesome monsters, and atmospheric settings made it a global phenomenon. Without a doubt, the survival horror genre wouldn't be the same without the Resident Evil franchise, as it was instrumental in popularizing the genre.

How many Resident Evil games, including spin-offs, are released on PC?

Considering the long history of the series, the massive list of Resident Evil games should come as no surprise. Taking into account all the mainline entries, spin-offs, remakes, and other releases, there are about 30 entries. As for the core installments, there are 26 games of them (with 184 DLCs). There are also two Revelations spinoffs that are vital to the storyline. That being said; unfortunately, not all of the main games of the Resident Evil series have been released on PC.

Which Resident Evil PC game should I play first?

The answer depends on whether you want to learn the entire lore of the Resident Evil series or just play the best installments. If you're more into the story side of things, here's the list of Resident Evil PC games in story order:

Resident Evil 0

Resident Evil

Resident Evil 2

Resident Evil 3

Resident Evil 4

Resident Evil Revelations

Resident Evil 5

Resident Evil Revelations 2

Resident Evil 6

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Resident Evil Village

Shadows of Rose

However, if you're new to the Resident Evil franchise, we recommend starting with Resident Evil 2 or Resident Evil 7.

All Resident Evil games in order of release

1. Resident Evil (1996) (1997)
2. Resident Evil 2 (1998) (1999)
3. Resident Evil 3 Nemesis (1999) (1999)
4. Resident Evil 5 (2009)
5. RESIDENT EVIL CODE: Veronica X (2011)
6. Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (2012)
7. Resident Evil 6 (2013)
8. Resident Evil Revelations / Biohazard Revelations (2013)
9. Resident Evil 4 (2005) (2014)
10. Resident Evil (2015)
11. Resident Evil Revelations 2 Episode One: Penal Colony (2015)
12. Resident Evil 0 (2016)
13. Umbrella Corps (2016)
14. Resident Evil 7 Teaser: Beginning Hour (2016)
15. Resident Evil 7 Biohazard (2017)
16. RESIDENT EVIL 2 / BIOHAZARD RE:2 (2019)
17. Resident Evil 3 (2020)
18. RESIDENT EVIL RESISTANCE (2020)
19. Resident Evil Village (2021)
20. Resident Evil Director's Cut (2022)
21. Resident Evil Re:Verse (2022)
22. Resident Evil 4 (2023)
23. Resident Evil Requiem (2026)

How many copies of the Resident Evil game series were sold?

Without a doubt, Resident Evil is one of the best-selling horror game series of all time. In September 2022, Capcom released information about the number of sales of RE games. According to data, the company sold over 131 million. It’s a really impressive number, and certainly, it will grow even further in the upcoming years.

The list of best-selling Resident Evil games:

- Resident Evil 5 (13.4 Million Units)

- Resident Evil 6 (11.6 Million Units)

- Resident Evil 4 (10.8 Million Units)

- Resident Evil 7 (10.2 Million Units)

- Resident Evil 2 remake (10 Million Units)