Resident Evil Requiem finally comes out this month, marking the long-awaited return of Leon S. Kennedy. Newcomer Grace Ashcroft will present the survival, sweat-inducing moments, while Leon comes back in full force with his roundhouse kicks and gun-toting abilities. Obviously exciting, Resident Evil Requiem is one of the first big releases of the year, and longtime fans have been eager to see what the game adds to the lore. This new chapter has been raising a lot of questions, after all, but one mystery about the game has been solved: Leon's age.
Leon's age in Resident Evil Requiem has been debated ever since he was confirmed for the ninth mainline entry. The game has been marketed as taking place three decades after the Raccoon City incident, so many have assumed that he was in his early 50s. This isn't the case, though. Leon is definitely older than when players last saw him in Resident Evil 6, but his age has been misinterpreted because of Capcom's marketing.
Resident Evil Fans Have Been Having Trouble Pinning Down Leon's Official Age in Requiem
Capcom and Resident Evil Requiem's developers have been saying that the game takes place 30 years after the government wiped out the Raccoon City outbreak with a devastating bomb. Because of the 30-year remarks, many have assumed that Resident Evil Requiem takes place in 2028.
- Leon S. Kennedy was born in 1977.
- 2028 would make him 51.
- 2026 would make him 49.
The details surrounding Resident Evil Requiem's place in the timeline are murky, though. It's not been explicitly stated that the story takes place in 2028, and Capcom is likely rounding up the year to sound better from a marketing standpoint. Saying "30 years after" just sounds better than saying "28 years later." After all, it's clear now that Resident Evil Requiem takes place in 2026.
Leon's Age in Past Resident Evil Games
|
Game |
Year the Story Takes Place |
Leon's Age |
|
Resident Evil 2 (and remake) |
1998 |
21 |
|
Resident Evil 4 |
2004 |
27 |
|
Resident Evil 6 |
2012-2013 |
35 |
Resident Evil Requiem's Place in the Timeline is Confirmed in a Blink-and-Miss-It Moment
In the Resident Evil Requiem trailer that reveals Leon, there's a brief scene that shows a small calendar on a desk where he's examining evidence. The calendar reads that it's Saturday, October 10, but the view of the year is obstructed. However, when looking at the real-life 2026 calendar, October 10 does indeed fall on a Saturday this year. October 10 in 2028, notably, is a Tuesday.
It's probably the most substantial piece of evidence that points to an official time frame and Leon's age. Two years' difference isn't that big of a deal, but it's still nice to have a general idea of when the story is set. Depending on what unfolds in Resident Evil Requiem, the plot could greatly impact the franchise moving forward, so having a more concrete timeline helps keep important lore moments organized.
Resident Evil Requiem's Leon and Grace Symbolize How Far the Franchise Has Come Over the Years
Leon may not have been the first Resident Evil protagonist, but he's become one of the most beloved. The classic Resident Evil characters before the Winters saga remain some of the most iconic heroes in the horror genre. Even still, Resident Evil 7 was such a drastic turn for the series, and Village continued this trend of intense survival-heavy moments over action. This time around, Resident Evil Requiem is giving the best of both worlds with Grace and Leon.
Game director Koshi Nakanishi recently confirmed in an interview, "In terms of gameplay, Grace and Leon's playable sections are almost equally split."
Leon represents the classic formula that made Resident Evil so iconic, and Grace continues to showcase the new era that relishes in heart-stopping horror moments. Leon Kennedy and Grace Ashcroft look like a fascinating contrast that could make Resident Evil Requiem one of the most unique entries in the series. Between the slow-burning, sweat-inducing survival of Grace's sequences and Leon's kick-to-the-face zombie annihilation, this chapter is setting up a story that's just as thrilling as it is terrifying.
The wait for Resident Evil Requiem is finally almost over, and it's going to be really fascinating to see what Nakanishi does with the lore this time around. With this year marking Resident Evil's 30th anniversary, Requiem has a lot of expectations to live up to. There's no telling what the next chapter has in store, but with Leon and Grace's wildly different playstyles, Resident Evil Requiem's bold balance of hardcore survival and in-your-face action could make it a must-play chapter for years to come.
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