When it comes to zombie franchises, few are as beloved as The Walking Dead and Resident Evil. The former is known for having an iconic TV show with a mean bite that still has audiences talking years after its final season. On the other side of the coin, Resident Evil has never quite managed to reach success on either the big or small screen, but when it comes to video games, the franchise simply remains unbeaten.
The Walking Dead did have a successful venture in the video game world courtesy of developer Telltale Games, with a narrative-driven saga that sold a combined total of 80 million episodes across its four seasons. Despite that, fans have been patiently waiting for another TWD game that manages to capture the magic of the TV show or Robert Kirkman's iconic comic, and that day has yet to come. But when it comes to Resident Evil, there is no shortage of iconic titles to choose from. Better yet, the latest installment in Capcom's iconic saga has reached a major sales milestone that signals the zombie genre is, curiously, more alive than ever.
Resident Evil Requiem surpasses 8 million copies sold; becomes the tenth most sold game in the franchise
Resident Evil Requiem has officially surpassed 8 million copies sold in roughly four months, as revealed in Capcom's 1st Quarter Report for the year, which covers sales from April 1 to June 30, 2026. Furthermore, Requiem has become the fastest-ever title in Capcom's saga to reach this major milestone. For reference, the highly acclaimed Resident Evil 4 remake sold 8 million copies in a little under a year and a half.
Sales in the video game industry are very different from those of the film industry, in which if a major theatrical release doesn't break even in a span of about 45 days, it is considered a flop. Oftentimes, it can take years for a video game to become profitable, as was the case with Remedy's critically-acclaimed Alan Wake 2. So the fact that Resident Evil Requiem is already seeing these levels of success in less than half a year is extremely promising.
To put into perspective how much momentum Resident Requiem has, here are the top 10 highest-selling Resident Evil games ever, and an approximation of how long it has taken them to reach their respective sales figures:
- Resident Evil 2 remake - 19.75 million copies sold in 90 months
- Resident Evil 5 - 19.01 million copies sold in 209 months
- Resident Evil 6 - 17.72 million copies sold in 166 months
- Resident Evil 7: Biohazard - 17.40 million copies sold in 114 months
- Resident Evil 4 (original release and ports) - 16.30 million copies sold in 259 months
- Resident Evil Village - 14.93 million copies sold in 63 months
- Resident Evil 4 remake - 13.60 million copies sold in 40 months
- Resident Evil 3 remake - 13.32 million copies sold in 76 months
- Resident Evil remake and HD remaster - 9.17 million in 140 months
- Resident Evil Requiem - 8.06 million copies sold in 4 months
Resident Evil Requiem may be at the bottom of the list, but it's also the most recent one to hit shelves. Even then, it has already managed to surpass the sales of other titles, such as Resident Evil 0, Resident Evil Code: Veronica, and more. The clear, undisputed winner at present is the Resident Evil 2 remake, but it was released seven years ago. In the long run, there's a chance Requiem could very well fight for a position in the top three spots on the list.
Requiem's astounding early success explains why reports indicate it could receive story DLC in late 2027. Furthermore, the Resident Evil franchise as a whole has surpassed 200 million cumulative sales, and that figure is only bound to keep growing, especially with the release of Resident Evil Veronica in 2027.
The franchise also returns to the silver screen this September with the long-awaited Resident Evil movie reboot from director Zach Cregger. Given Creggar's recent successes with multiple horror films - and the recent horror movie domination of 2026 - we wouldn't be surprised to see that one deliver in many ways this fall.
The undead are more alive than ever, and we can't wait to see what the future holds for the franchise.
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