Resident Evil 9: Everything You Need To Know
2Resident Evil 9 is finally real—but Capcom is hiding the number once again. It's not called "Apocalypse" or even "Resident Evil 9"... It's Resident Evil Requiem, and it just dropped one of the most cryptic, lore-packed trailers we’ve seen in years. From a new protagonist with ties to Raccoon City, to references to RE Outbreak, to the shocking return of the RPD itself—this trailer changes everything.
But don’t let the slow pace fool you—there’s a storm brewing in the Resident Evil universe. And today, we're breaking it all down: who is Grace Ashcroft, what’s her connection to Alissa from Outbreak, and is Resident Evil 9 secretly tying everything back to the Mold and The Connections?
The Setup – A New Protagonist Enters the Scene
The trailer opens with a slow, moody sequence—an unnamed man walks into a high-security building that we later learn is the FBI headquarters. At the same time, a woman types out a disturbing report about the fourth victim of an unknown disease. That woman is our new protagonist: Grace Ashcroft.
Now if that last name sounds familiar, it's because it should—Ashcroft is also the surname of Alissa Ashcroft, a survivor of Raccoon City and a playable character in Resident Evil Outbreak. Capcom just pulled a deep-cut lore move, connecting this new game to one of the series' most cult-loved spinoffs.
Soon, Grace is called into her boss’s office—a man named Nathan Demps, based on the nameplate on his desk. Interestingly, the actor playing Nathan is the same one who portrayed Marvin Branagh in the Resident Evil 2 Remake, though this is likely just a reused actor and not the same character.
Alissa Ashcroft Confirmed – RE Outbreak is Canon Again
Inside his office, Nathan gives Grace an update: another victim has turned up with the same strange symptoms. The location? The Rainwood Hotel—the same place where Grace's mother, Alissa, was murdered eight years earlier. That places the murder around 2017, the same year as the Resident Evil 7 events in Dulvey.
What does that mean? It heavily suggests a potential connection between this new outbreak and the Eveline/Mold storyline, as well as The Connections, the mysterious criminal group behind Resident Evil 7.
We also see flashbacks of Grace’s trauma—her mother’s death, a mysterious hooded man, and moments suggesting that Grace was present when her mother was killed. This isn’t just a new character with a legacy name—she’s got deep, personal history with biohazards and possibly with Umbrella’s many descendants.
Theories, Clues, and Hidden Details
From here, the trailer leans hard into psychological horror. We see Grace strapped to a gurney, upside down, with a bloodied bandage on her chest. Is she infected? Experimented on? There’s not enough to say, but Capcom is definitely channeling Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil 8 energy here.
We get eerie hallway shots reminiscent of the Spencer Mansion, creepy voiceovers, and most intriguingly, a mysterious man referring to Grace as “the chosen one.” Now, that might sound supernatural, but remember—this is Resident Evil. There’s usually a scientific explanation, even for the weirdest cult-like stuff.
Some fans think this man could be Brandon Bailey, one of the founders of Umbrella and the rumored leader of The Connections. Others think it might be Oswell Spencer’s son, though Spencer himself was killed in Resident Evil 5. Either way, he seems to have a direct tie to the broader bio-terror networks.
The Return of Raccoon City
And then the trailer hits us with the biggest shock: Raccoon City is back.
We see ruins—full-on remnants of the city, including the crumbling façade of the RPD station, and a massive crater, which likely marks where the government bombed the city at the end of Resident Evil 3.
This suggests one of two things:
1. We’re visiting flashbacks or hallucinations.
2. Or parts of Raccoon City were never fully destroyed—or have been preserved by someone for some mysterious reason.
And if that wasn’t enough, we hear a new voice—possibly young Grace—say, “Everyone’s gone.” We also see a cop being infected, hinting that some form of virus is still active in the ruins.
What do you think of the Resident Evil Requiem trailer? Are you excited about Grace Ashcroft’s story? Do you want to see Leon, Ada, Jill, or Chris return? Drop your theories in the comments—let’s dissect this together.
And remember—if you want to play Resident Evil games the classic way, GameFly has you covered. Rent any title, from Resident Evil 1 Remake to RE Village, and play it on your own terms. The link is in the description for a free trial—don’t miss it.
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I’ll see you in the next video—until then, stay safe out there.