The fourth trailer for Resident Evil Requiem debuted during Sony’s latest PlayStation State of Play presentation, confirming the return of a fan-favorite Resident Evil 2 character.
Sherry Birkin’s inclusion in the game has been widely speculated by fans ever since The Game Awards trailer dropped in December, which included a female voice communicating with protagonist Leon S. Kennedy.
This week’s trailer more or less confirms what many of us suspected, giving us a closer look at Leon’s companion – who has a familiar blonde hairstyle extremely similar to Sherry’s appearance in Resident Evil 6.
The video also hides a big clue as to the cause of Leon’s infection, which can be easily missed from a casual viewing. Pausing at the 0:47 mark while Sherry is using her computer reveals a report on something called “Raccoon City Syndrome.”
The text on the monitor says it “occurs when residual T-Virus within the body mutates over a prolonged period of time.” Fans will know that Leon was exposed to the virus back in 1998 during the events of Resident Evil 2.
It seems Leon’s antibodies had suppressed the virus over the following 30-odd years – but according to the report, he may no longer be safe, as the virus can “build an immunity to the antibodies over time.”
The report also mentions victims of Raccoon City Syndrome can develop “black, bruise-like marks,” which Leon has across his hand as seen at the 1:02 mark.
Unfortunately for our hero, the syndrome can be fatal when Stage 3 is reached, as “Patients at the terminal stage typically die within one to two hours.”
At the start of the trailer, Leon can also be heard saying, “That’s six now. Six survivors of Raccoon City, all dead from the same thing.”
Also teased was a quick glimpse at a new character, a young girl with fully clouded white eyes (which may indicate infection). She appears immediately after villain Victor Gideon tells playable heroine Grace Ashcroft, “Because my master made you who are are,” which may imply that the girl is Gideon’s boss.
The trailer ends with a chilling scene of Leon opening the doors to the Raccoon City Department, confirming that he will return to the now-dilapidated building from Resident Evil 2 – where it all began for him.
When does Resident Evil Requiem release?
Resident Evil Requiem will release on Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Steam on February 27th, 2026.
Check out more Resident Evil content
Capcom Reveals Leon and Grace amiibo for Resident Evil Requiem
Official Resident Evil Requiem short film stars Maika Monroe, who calls it ‘heartbreaking’
Leave a Comment
Written by Reece Heather
A veteran Zelda Universe editor and First-class journalism graduate, Reece emerged with a Nintendo 64 and a lifelong obsession after a narrow escape from Santa’s Naughty List in 1998. Outside of games, he’s reading Punisher comics, being bossed around by his cocker spaniel, and cornering innocent bystanders to rant about the importance of game preservation.
