A New Chapter Begins
Resident Evil Requiem debuts next year. This release marks the series’ first appearance on the Epic Games Store. It also kicks off the 30th anniversary celebration of Resident Evil. The original game launched on PlayStation on March 22, 1996. The franchise is famous for its complex and wild storyline. Resident Evil Requiem is reportedly a great starting point for new players. It will feature a brand new story and protagonist. Still, understanding the backstory is helpful. This primer covers the key events and lore for those starting with Resident Evil Requiem.
The Deadly Roots of Umbrella
The Resident Evil world mirrors ours in many ways. The biggest difference is the sinister Umbrella Corporation. This pharmaceutical giant started in the United States in the 1960s. By 1998, Umbrella’s products were everywhere. They sold everything from shampoo to instant noodles. However, drugs were not Umbrella’s true focus.
Behind the scenes, the founders had darker goals. Founders Ozwell Spencer, Edward Ashford, and James Marcus used Umbrella as a front. They pursued individual bio-weapon research.
The Origin of the T-Virus
In the 1960s, Spencer and Marcus discovered the Progenitor virus in West Africa. Marcus quickly learned it could reanimate dead cells. This process created the half-living zombies. He became obsessed with the virus’s potential. Spencer saw Progenitor as a tool for wealth and human “improvement.” He dreamt of evolving humanity into a superior species. Ethics were not a concern for either man. Progenitor research involved an alarmingly high death rate.
Marcus’s work eventually created the more manageable T-Virus. The T-Virus is responsible for the zombies and monsters seen for 30 years. Marcus planned to use the T-Virus to take over Umbrella. Spencer found out and had Marcus assassinated in 1978. Ashford died earlier in a lab accident in 1968. This left Spencer as the sole CEO of Umbrella.
The Original Mansion Incident
Umbrella established T-Virus research labs globally. Many focused on creating bio-weapons. They engineered custom monsters like the reptilian Hunters. These were intended as tools for warfare. One key facility was near Raccoon City. This Midwestern US town received substantial funding from Umbrella. The secret lab was located in the remote Arklay Mountains. This is where the franchise’s first deadly outbreak occurred.
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