The release of Resident Evil 3 Remake is fast approaching and survival horror fans are understandably getting a bit excited. There have been over 20 Resident Evil games to date to it can be a bit tricky keeping track of exactly what has been going on and when.
To help you get your head around what’s been happening we’ve pulled together a relatively in-depth timeline of the major story beats you’ll need to know if you want to be prepared for Resident Evil 3 and beyond.
Some of these may seem insignificant at first but will become very important in later canon. While there are no spoilers for Resident Evil 3, take note that there are spoilers for the first Resident Evil and the build-up to Resident Evil: Code Veronica, in particular.
1800’s
– The Travis Maritime Trading Company excavates Africa for minerals
1900’s
– The Travis Maritime Trading Company stays in Africa but now begins collecting plants and animals
1960 – 1961
– The Travis Maritime Trading Company is renamed Tricell
– Edward Ashford begins research into the Progenitor Virus
1962
– Ozwell E. Spencer begins construction of a mansion
1966
– Spencer and Ashford find the Progenitor Virus housed in a Progenitor Flower.
– Dr James Marcus and Brandon Bailey take it from Africa to Raccoon City
1967
– First experiments on the Progenitor Flower fail
– The Spencer Mansion is finally built, with a research lab underneath. It’s located in the Arklay Mountains, on the outskirts of Raccoon City
1968
– Umbrella is founded
– Edward Ashford is infected with the Progenitor virus but dies. He is succeeded by his son Alexander as head of the family.
– Umbrella seizes control of the Progenitor Flower site in Africa and establishes a training facility underneath the Spencer Mansion, headed by Dr Marcus
1969
– Alexander Ashford begins construction of the Antarctic base (Dubbed Code Veronica). It is completed later in the year, as is the laboratory in Africa
1971
– Project Code Veronica is finished and the Ashford Twins, Alfred and Alexia, are created through genetic engineering.
1977
– Albert Wesker and William Birkin are transferred to the Spencer Mansion as managers
– 5 cases of Progenitor virus cases emerge in Africa
1978
– Dr Marcus successfully creates the T-Virus
1981
– Alexia Ashford, aged 10, graduates top of her class and is sent to the Antarctic base as a senior researcher
1982
– Alexia Ashford infects her father with the new T-Veronica virus but the experiment fails. He is presumed missing.
1983
– Wesker researches the T-Virus and begins to doubt Spencer’s intentions.
– Alexia Ashford self administers the T-Veronica Virus and goes into a cryogenic sleep lasting 15 years
1987
– Michael Warren is appointed mayor of Raccoon City
1988
– William Birkin develops a B.O.W (Bio-Organic Weapon) called Tyrant, using the T-Virus
– The Nemesis Project begins in Europe
– Wesker murders Dr Marcus under orders by Spencer
1991
– Umbrella beings construction of their main laboratory underneath Raccoon City
– Spencer approves Birkin’s development of the G-Virus
– Wesker is assigned to the Department of Intelligence
– Sergei Vladimir is chosen by Umbrella as the perfect host for Tyrant. 10 clones of him are created
1993
– Raccoon City Police Chief, Brian Irons, secretly colludes with Umbrella
– Birkin relocates to the Raccoon City laboratory
– Alfred Ashford is in command of the Rockfort Island base in Antarctica and develops an Anti-B.O.W training facility
1996
– Special police unit S.T.A.R.S is formed and Wesker is appointed captain
– Massive amounts of waste builds up at the Umbrella waste treatment facility and causes contaminated leaks
– Hunk begins training at Rockford Island
1998
– Catastrophic viral leak at the Spencer mansion
– Outbreak begins in the Arklay Mountains and a S.T.A.R.S team is sent to investigate but is wiped out
– A second S.T.A.R.S team, led by Wesker, arrives at the Spencer Mansion
– Wesker’s involvement with Spencer is revealed
– Sergei Vladimir activated “Red Queen”, Umbrella’s defence protocol, which revokes Wesker’s access
– The Spencer Mansion is destroyed. Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine and Barry Burton escape together and Wesker survives and escapes unnoticed
– Birkin completes the G-Virus
– A swarm of rats become contaminated by viral leaks and infect Raccoon City leading to a complete outbreak. The police are easily overwhelmed and Umbrella step in to provide assistance
– Jill Valentine, has been investigating and tries to flee the city
Things get a little tricky from here, as Resident Evil 2 and 3 intertwine and avoiding spoilers for Resident Evil 3 becomes very difficult. It doesn’t matter if you play Resident Evil 2 or 3 first, so go ahead with whichever you wish.
Resident Evil 3 Remake will be released on 3rd April 2020 for PC, Xbox One and PS4.
