This Resident Evil chronology guide covers the complete chronological order for both games and movies up to 2026. If you want to experience the full story of RE (Resident Evil), playing and watching in timeline order is the best way to do it. You will find everything you need here to navigate the canon video games, animated films, and even the separate live-action universe.<\/p>\n
You can easily track the Resident Evil timeline by following the in-universe events rather than release dates. This guide breaks down the absolute best starting points for both the games and the movies. Use this straightforward list to plan your next survival horror marathon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Use this table to help you navigate the Resident Evil timeline.<\/p>\n
The Resident Evil timeline is the chronological order of events across the survival horror franchise. It spans decades of in-game history, starting in the late 1990s and continuing into 2026. The timeline is split between canon entries \u2013 which include mainline games and CGI movies \u2013 and non-canon entries, like the live-action films. This means you have two distinct universes to explore.<\/p>\n
To play the Resident Evil games in chronological order, you need to follow the in-universe timeline rather than the release dates.<\/p>\n
These games cover the early years and the initial virus outbreak.<\/p>\n
Note: RE2 and RE3 overlap in the timeline.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n These mid-era games take the bio-threat worldwide.<\/p>\n These modern games focus on a new protagonist and lead into the future.<\/p>\n The Resident Evil movies in chronological order require separating the animated films from the live-action ones.<\/p>\n These films are canon and tie directly into the video game universe.<\/p>\n These films sit in a separate, non-canon universe to avoid confusion.<\/p>\n The combined Resident Evil chronology for games and movies is a master list that weaves the canon CGI movies into the mainline game timeline. We do not include the live-action films in this list to keep it simple and accurate.<\/p>\n The chronological order to play the mainline Resident Evil games is:<\/p>\n You should watch the canon CGI movies between the games, or you can watch the separate live-action movies in release order from the first film to The Final Chapter.<\/p>\n Yes, RE7 and RE8 are directly connected. They both follow the continuous story of Ethan Winters and his family.<\/p>\n No, you do not need to play RE6 before RE9. The newer games feature standalone arcs that are very easy to follow without playing the older entries.<\/p>\n The canon Resident Evil timeline includes all mainline video games and the animated CGI movies.<\/p>\n The Resident Evil chronological order for Leon S. Kennedy is:<\/p>\n Ready to jump into the survival horror action? Buy your PlayStation, Xbox, or Steam credit safely and quickly via Recharge.com so you can start your Resident Evil marathon today. We offer over 16,000 products, making us the largest online store for digital gaming cards. <\/p>\n Top up your gaming wallet now and prepare to face the bio-threat!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Discover the complete Resident Evil timeline for 2026. Follow our chronological guide to all canon games and movies, then top up safely to play today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":45649,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cos_headline_score":0,"cos_seo_score":0,"cos_headline_text":"","cos_headline_has_been_analyzed":false,"cos_last_analyzed_headline":[],"_hreflang_tags":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[559],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45663","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-digital-lifestyle-en-au"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Global Outbreak Era<\/h3>\n
\n
The Winters Family And Beyond<\/h3>\n
\n
Resident Evil Movies In Chronological Order<\/h2>\n
Canon Animated (CGI) Movies<\/h3>\n
\n
Live-Action Movie Timeline<\/h3>\n
\n
Combined Resident Evil Chronology: Games And Movies<\/h2>\n
\n
\nFrequently Asked Questions (FAQ)<\/h2>\n
What Is The Chronological Order To Play Resident Evil Games?<\/h3>\n
\n
In What Order Do I Watch Resident Evil?<\/h3>\n
Are RE7 And RE8 Connected?<\/h3>\n
Do I Need To Play RE6 Before RE9?<\/h3>\n
Which Resident Evil Timeline Is Canon?<\/h3>\n
What Is The Resident Evil Order For Leon?<\/h3>\n
\n
\nGet Your Gaming Gift Cards At Recharge.com<\/h2>\n
Why Choose Recharge.com?<\/h3>\n
\n