Resident Evil Requiem breaks series Steam record with 270,000 players

Record-breaking launch

According to Steam platform data, Resident Evil Requiem has set a new series record for concurrent players on PC. The game hit 260,000 concurrent players within its first hour, with that number climbing to 270,000 within two hours of launch.

These figures surpass the previous franchise peaks on Steam, beating Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, and the Resident Evil 4 remake. For context, Village previously held the record at around 106,000 concurrent players at launch, making Requiem's numbers more than double that peak. The strong launch numbers signal significant interest in the latest entry, which features returning protagonist Leon S. Kennedy.

The concurrent player count is particularly impressive considering this is a single-player focused survival horror game launching at full price. While multiplayer titles often dominate Steam's concurrent player charts, seeing a story-driven horror game pull these numbers demonstrates the franchise's continued relevance and the anticipation that's been building since the game's announcement.

What's driving the numbers

GamesRadar+ notes that fan interest in Leon, often referred to as "hot uncle" Leon by the community, is likely a major draw for players jumping into Requiem at launch. The character has maintained a dedicated following throughout the series, and his appearance in Requiem marks his first mainline entry since Resident Evil 6 back in 2012 (not counting his starring role in the RE4 remake). That's over a decade of fans waiting to see where Leon's story goes next in the series timeline.

Beyond the Leon factor, Capcom has been on an absolute tear with the Resident Evil franchise in recent years. The remakes of RE2, RE3, and RE4 reestablished the series as a critical and commercial powerhouse, while Village proved the mainline entries could still innovate and surprise. That momentum has built serious goodwill with both longtime fans and newcomers who discovered the series through the remakes.

The marketing campaign also leaned heavily into the survival horror roots that define classic Resident Evil, promising a return to tighter, more claustrophobic environments after Village's broader scope. Early previews highlighted resource management, puzzle-solving, and genuine tension over action spectacle, which resonated with fans craving that old-school RE experience.

The launch momentum puts Resident Evil Requiem in a strong position as Capcom's latest mainline entry in the survival horror franchise. Whether these numbers translate to sustained player engagement remains to be seen as the community digs into the full campaign. Single-player games typically see steeper drop-offs than live service titles, but strong word of mouth could keep players coming back for multiple playthroughs, especially if the game includes unlockables, difficulty modes, and speedrun-friendly design like previous entries.

Early Steam reviews will be worth watching over the next few days. If the reception stays positive, Requiem could have legs beyond the launch window, potentially matching or exceeding the long-term sales performance of Village and the recent remakes.