Resident Evil Requiem Seemingly Hints at a Return to a Classic Location

At Summer Game Fest, developer Capcom finally gave fans their first look at Resident Evil Requiem, the next game in the long-running horror franchise. We didn’t get a look at gameplay, but did learn that Requiem’s protagonist will seemingly be Grace Ashcroft, whose family name is very familiar to Resident Evil veterans. However, Grace’s surname isn’t the only hint in Requiem‘s first trailer that appears to tease fans will be re-visiting the series’ past. In fact, one quick shot in the trailer may hint that we’ll be going back to where it all began.

This is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment that occurs at the 2:24 mark in the first trailer (which you can watch above). However, there is a quick scene showing off a hallway. Suspiciously, this looks a lot like a hallway that belongs in the Spencer Mansion. Is it possible we’ll be returning to the mansion that helped make the original Resident Evil so popular?

Well, that’s where things get tricky. At the end of the first Resident Evil, the Spencer Mansion was destroyed in an explosion triggered by Rebecca Chambers. With that in mind, you might assume returning to the mansion is impossible.

However, it’s important to note that Capcom has brought back a replica of the Spencer Mansion for Resident Evil 5. On top of that, there were rumors about a planned game that would take fans into the ruins of Spencer Mansion, showing it off in a dilapidated state after the explosion.

Plus, there’s always the chance of a flashback. As hinted at above, we know that Grace Ashcroft is related to Alyssa Ashcroft from Resident Evil Outbreak. Alyssa is likely Grace’s mother, though we’re hesitant to say that with certainty because of how often Capcom serves fans with initial trailers.

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We could play as Alyssa or another character who visits the Spencer Mansion before the explosion, and then see what it looks like in the modern day with Grace. After all, the trailer features several other famous locations from previous Resident Evil games, most notably the Raccoon City Police Department. We’re almost assuredly going to visit these famous locations in our return to the iconic city, but it’s not clear what state they’ll be in when we get there.

And this wouldn’t be the first time Capcom has given us major flashback sequences. Veteran Resident Evil fans will remember using the VHS tapes in Resident Evil 7 to go back in time to see how the Baker family became the monsters Ethan Winters met when he arrived in Louisiana. It was an effective technique that gave Capcom tons of creative freedom, and it would not be surprising to see them return to a similar mechanic.

After all, Resident Evil Requiem‘s central theme appears to be exploring the past. We have a protagonist directly related to a fan-favorite spin-off who appears to be returning to Raccoon City for the first time since a thermobaric missile destroyed the city. In many ways, it would be a huge disappointment if Requiem didn’t return to the Spencer Mansion. It is the most iconic location in franchise history and is deeply embroiled in the lore of the Umbrella Corporation.

While we don’t know much about Resident Evil Requiem‘s place in the over-arching mythology, it’s worth remembering that Resident Evil Village ended with Chris Redfield telling his squad that it was time to head to the BSAA European HQ to find out why the agency was using organic bioweapons to explore the village.

If everything between the BSAA and Umbrella is going to come to a head, Capcom would be smart to fold Oswell Spencer and his famous mansion back into the fold. After all, he’s the man who started the Umbrella Corporation after learning at the hands of Mother Miranda. If the creator of the T-Virus isn’t somehow involved in a return to Raccoon City, we’d be very surprised.

Thankfully, we don’t have to wait too much longer to discover what all these hints mean. Resident Evil Requiem is set to launch on February 27th, 2026, on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. We’ll likely have several more trailers and teasers over the next few months that might shed more light on what’s coming.