As it turns out, the ‘S’ in Leon S Kennedy also stands for ‘sales’. After 17 long years, Resident Evil 5 has been dethroned by the Resident Evil 2 remake as the best-selling entry in Capcom’s beloved franchise (so Claire gets credit, too).
According to the company’s latest earnings report, the sales figure for the latter is now at 19.75 million — ahead of the 19.01 million units racked up by the 2009 entry. The exact number isn’t listed in the document but can be found in the one released last quarter, which includes both the original and its remaster for PlayStation 4, Switch, and Xbox One. The hold is particularly impressive and may be surprising for some, especially since Resident Evil 5 is largely considered middling and the springboard into a more action-heavy approach.
As for its two most recent instalments, Requiem and 2023’s Resident Evil 4 remake, sales performance remains impressive with eight and 16 million copies sold, respectively. Combined, the survival horror series has sold 213 million units across all of its games, surpassing Square Enix’s long-standing Final Fantasy franchise to become the best-selling Japanese game series not from Nintendo.
Other well-performing Capcom titles include Pragmata, which now sits at 2.51 million copies sold, Devil May Cry 5, adding 1.29 million units to lifetime sales of 14.24 million, and Monster Hunter: World (30.45 million). Next for the Resident Evil pipeline are Zach Cregger’s live-action film adaptation and Resident Evil Veronica, a remake of 2000’s Code: Veronica, due to bow in 2027.
Originally released in 1998, Resident Evil 2 follows Leon and Claire as they attempt to escape Raccoon City during a viral outbreak that turns the citizens into zombies. The plot for Resident Evil 5, meanwhile, involves Chris and Sheva Alomar investigating a terrorist threat, with the former confronting old enemy Albert Wesker and his former partner, Jill Valentine, in the process.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
