Resident Evil Requiem’s Raccoon City Syndrome (Latent Onset T-Virus Syndrome) Explained

The newest trailer for Resident Evil: Requiem reveals more about the story. We get a better look at the experiments of the villain, Victor Gideon, and clues about Grace’s background. It also confirms that Leon Kennedy is battling a strange infection. Overall, Resident Evil: Requiem appears to be a very ambitious game in the Resident Evil series. With two main characters and a mix of scary, suspenseful moments and intense action, it promises something for all fans.

While we’re thrilled to see Leon back, his infection is a serious concern. He has what’s being called Latent On-Set T-Virus Syndrome, or Raccoon City Syndrome. The latest trailer for Resident Evil: Requiem showed some of his symptoms, making it clear he’s in a desperate fight against time. We don’t know much about this syndrome yet, but it’s already obvious it’s a dangerous and difficult illness.

Raccoon City Syndrome Means That Leon Isn’t Just Fighting Zombies to Stay Alive

The Raccoon City disaster is central to the story of Resident Evil, and connecting a new illness to that event is a compelling direction for the narrative. This development makes Leon’s return to Raccoon City especially meaningful. He can’t outrun his past, and now the tragedy is physically affecting him, leaving his survival uncertain.

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Symptoms of Raccoon City Syndrome

Stage 0: The virus lies dormant in the infected person’s body.
Stage 1: The virus activates, which results in the formation of black lesions on the body with discomfort and coughing.
Stage 2: The black lesions spread, eventually to the organs, with the affected parts of the body growing numb.
Stage 3: At this stage, the disease becomes terminal. The black marks spread all across the body and are accompanied by intense pain that makes it difficult to move. This stage eventually leads to the infected person uncontrollably vomiting blood, with death happening in less than two hours.

Leon shows early signs of the illness, likely Stage 1 or 2. He’s currently investigating a series of deaths that appear to be caused by it. As he states in the latest trailer, six survivors from Raccoon City have already died from the same mysterious ailment. Like most Resident Evil games, this one features a compelling mystery, but this time it feels particularly intriguing and connected to Leon himself.

Leon Probably Isn’t the Only Returning Character With Raccoon City Syndrome Either

While we haven’t seen her face clearly, the woman communicating with Leon remotely appears to be Sherry Birkin. Both Leon and Sherry are shown wearing gloves, which suggests she might also be affected by the illness spreading from Raccoon City. Her urgent statement, “We’re running out of time, Leon,” strengthens the idea that Leon is not only investigating the disease himself, but is also trying to find a solution for Sherry.

Victor Gideon’s Experiments Could Lead to Answers About How to Survive Raccoon City Syndrome

No proper Resident Evil tale feels complete without a connection to the Umbrella Corporation. That’s where Victor Gideon comes in – he’s the primary villain Leon and Grace confront. After Umbrella’s downfall, Gideon acquired the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center to secretly continue his research. Having previously worked on Umbrella’s Tyrant Project, Gideon ultimately uncovered the hidden T-Virus strain responsible for Raccoon City Syndrome.

Leon and Grace are destined to meet at Rhodes Hill Chronic Care. Gideon thinks Grace Ashcroft holds the answer to unlocking the mystery of Elpis, a significant unanswered question from Resident Evil: Requiem, even more puzzling than the Raccoon City Syndrome. Somehow, Grace’s blood is connected to unleashing Elpis, and whatever that is, it’s likely to be terrifying.

Resident Evil: Requiem Tells a Story Nearly 30 Years in the Making

It’s been 28 years since Leon first joined the Raccoon City Police Department, and a lot has changed since then. The new installment, Resident Evil: Requiem, feels like a major moment for the series. Resident Evil games often leave storylines unfinished, but Requiem seems poised to tie up some loose ends. With Leon and Sherry still dealing with the effects of the Raccoon City incident almost three decades later, it’s possible other familiar characters are also affected by the illness.

There May Still Be More Surprises in Store For Resident Evil: Requiem

Leon and Sherry aren’t the only heroes who survived the Raccoon City outbreak. Claire Redfield, Jill Valentine, Ada Wong, and Carlos Oliveira were all there, and might still be affected by the T-Virus. While Carlos managed to give Jill a cure in Resident Evil 3, putting her in the best position, the others may not be so fortunate.

Rumors suggest Leon might die in Resident Evil: Requiem, but this could be a misleading clue. In the fourth trailer, Leon mentions that six people from Raccoon City have died from the virus, and fans hope these deaths don’t involve any major characters. Killing off popular characters without showing it on screen would likely cause a strong negative reaction, making it an unlikely scenario. Still, there’s a possibility we’ll see familiar faces return. Fortunately, we won’t have to wait much longer to find out, as Resident Evil: Requiem is coming out soon.

2026-02-19 20:38