Resident Evil Requiem Breaks Every Steam Record Thanks to Hot Leon

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Resident Evil Requiem Shatters Every Franchise Record on Steam Because of Hot Leon

Published Feb 27, 2026, 3:57 PM EST

Covering the video games industry since 2017, with experience in news, articles, lists, and reviews (and I blame The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask for that).

If you are a fan of RPGs and want a third-person version: Tayná Garcia is a Brazilian journalist (but you can call her Tay) who ended up working with video games after finishing Zelda: Majora's Mask when she was a kid. With more than eight years of experience in the segment, she has been an assistant editor at Jovem Nerd in the past and is currently a contributor at DualShockers and a writer for gaming magazines for Editora Europa. Oh, and she may like Hideo Kojima a bit too much.

It hasn't even been 24 hours since Resident Evil Requiem was unleashed, but it seems Capcom’s latest horror title is already making history.

Officially released this Friday, February 27, the game – which features Grace Ashford and Leon Kennedy in the leading roles – debuted on Steam with some staggering numbers, proving that PC players were more than eager to see hot older Leon in action (and I can’t really blame them).

A Massive Record-Breaking Peak For Requiem

Resident Evil Requiem Shatters Every Franchise Record on Steam Because of Hot Leon 2

According to data from SteamDB, Resident Evil Requiem just recorded an impressive peak of 320,056 concurrent players on Steam, Valve’s platform.

This isn't just a high number, but it represents a new milestone for the entire Resident Evil series on PC. To put this into perspective, the game has comfortably surpassed the previous franchise record held by the Resident Evil 4 remake, which reached a peak of 168,000 players back in 2023.

Resident Evil Requiem Grace Ashcroft Julia Pratt

Meet The Star Of Resident Evil Requiem

Recent online activity has seemingly revealed the face model for Resident Evil Requiem's Grace Ashcroft

At the time of writing, Requiem maintains a strong player count of 291,841, so expectations are that these numbers could climb even higher throughout the weekend, which is traditionally the strongest period for new releases. You can check out the stats from SteamDB in the image below:

Resident Evil Requiem Shatters Every Franchise Record on Steam Because of Hot Leon 3

Resident Evil Requiem just recorded an impressive peak of 320,056 concurrent players [...], a new milestone for the entire Resident Evil series

While these numbers do not include players on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, or Switch 2, the initial PC performance points toward a new commercial success for Capcom. It is an incredibly promising start for the new chapter of the franchise, and it seems the Leon effect is quite real.

Jokes aside, the survival horror title has been drawing significant attention for a couple of days now following the publication of reviews. The reception has been majorly positive, with critics praising its dual protagonists, the seamless blend of nostalgia and modern mechanics, and the overall atmosphere. In our own coverage, we noted that “Resident Evil Requiem is everything that RE fans could want out of the next entry in the series and more.” You can check out our full review right here!