After 15 Years, Resident Evil 5 Finally Loses Its Crown as the Series' Best-Seller

After holding the top spot for 15 years, Resident Evil 5 is no longer the best-selling game in Capcom's survival horror series, the publisher has revealed. New sales data shows that the Resident Evil 2 remake has taken the crown, with 19.75 million copies sold, surpassing Resident Evil 5's final tally of 19.01 million.

These numbers are notable for several reasons. First, the fact that it took a decade and a half to topple Resident Evil 5 highlights the immense hype surrounding its original release, which rode on the coattails of the beloved Resident Evil 4, despite ultimately being considered not as good. Second, the figures demonstrate that the Resident Evil back catalog continues to sell strongly. The Resident Evil 2 remake, launched in 2019, is still moving copies, likely boosted by subsequent releases featuring Leon S. Kennedy, such as the Resident Evil 4 remake and Resident Evil Requiem.

Speaking of those titles, you might wonder how they're faring. Both are selling brilliantly and could eventually surpass Resident Evil 2 to become the franchise's top sellers. Resident Evil Requiem has sold 8 million copies, a number expected to rise with discounts and its highly anticipated post-launch expansion. The Resident Evil 4 remake has reached an impressive 16 million copies sold.

Overall, the Resident Evil franchise has sold 213 million copies combined, edging past Square Enix's Final Fantasy series at 212 million (though those figures haven't been updated for this quarter). Other Capcom titles performing well include Pragmata, which has sold 2.51 million copies, and Monster Hunter: World, with an astonishing 30.45 million copies sold.

Up next for the Resident Evil franchise is Zach Cregger's Resident Evil movie on September 16, followed by Resident Evil Veronica sometime in 2027.