Which Resident Evil has Made the Most Money?

$103,000,000 in total sales across all games since the franchise launched in 1996. That will buy you quite a few Jill Sandwiches. But which game of the beloved zombie survival horror series is reigning sales champion? We went ahead and took a deep dive into the financials. Here’s what we found.

*note that we’re only going to cover the main games in the series, remakes included. All figures are adjusted for inflation*

Resident Evil 1 – 1996

I was stunned to find that these retailed at the time for $70. I was 10-years-old at the time and to me $70 would have been the entire treasure of the Sierra Madre. But anyone who remembers their PS1 days likely only got games as gifts and in exchange for lawns mowed and snow shoveled.

The debut Resident Evil sold 5,331,647 copies across all platforms (I’m including the 2006 DS port, Deadly Silence). Capcom raked in a staggering $467 mil in today’s dollars when you count up all the iterations of the game released between 1996 and 2006; a figure that would make an Umbrella executive blush.

Resident Evil 2 – 1998

The much loved sequel and better-in-pretty-much-every-way Resident Evil 2 likewise had a few iterations beyond the PS1. N64 and Gamecube versions would release in 2000 and 2003, to far fewer sales, of course. Between the standard and dual shock versions on PS1 though Capcom sold north of 5 mil copies. Across all systems they earned $655 mil total from 6,114,370 units sold.

Resident Evil 3 – 1999

The troubled threequel didn’t quite connect with fans and maybe that lack of success played out in customers’ favor in the end. Capcom exces were forced to take a hard look at where perhaps they’d gone wrong. They’d bring the franchise back to its roots with the Resident Evil 1 Remake three years later and then beyond with Resident Evil 4, launching the game into third-person.

For all it’s flaws RE3 brought in $259 mil from 3,528,691 units sold.

 Resident Evil Remake - 2002

Originally a gamecube exclusive, the REmake as its sometimes called, brought fans back to the Spencer mansion to relive the world of survival horror, fixed camera angles and all. It was an impressive display of technological advance with great lighting, sound, and animations. Fans voted with their wallets and across all platforms (GC, Wii, PS3, PC) the REmake brought home $172 mil from 4,799,297 units shipped.  

 Resident Evil 0 - 2002

This prequel starring Bravo team medic Rebecca Chambers brought in a respectable $142 mil from 3,953,614 units shipped. That’s of course spread across multiple releases as RE0, like the REmake, was originally only on GameCube. It would make the jump to Wii in 2008 and modern platforms in 2016, seeing a surprising surge in popularity as it sold 2.6 mil copies across PS3/4, Xbox One, and PC.

Resident Evil 4 – 2005

Launching first on GameCube and then later that year on PS2, this was the franchise’s return to glory as they ditched the fixed camera angles and went full third-person. The pay off was huge, as it brought in numbers more in line with the success of the original games while remaining a top draw for years as it was ported through two more console generations.

All in all, RE4 raked in $474 mil with 10,338,067 copies sold across all platforms.

Resident Evil 5 – 2009

Chris Redfield’s boulder-punching, muscle-gaining adventure in Africa smashed sales records at debut. This was, in my opinion, thanks to the success of RE4’s bold design and vision. The pump was primed for another RE game to make a killing.

Compared to RE4’s launch on GameCube, which sold 1.6 mil copies, RE5 sold an astonishing 7.7 mil copies on PS3 and Xbox 360 making them $588 mil in 2009. To date they’ve sold more than 13 mil copies and brought in $790 mil total.

Resident Evil 6 – 2012

Despite the lackluster place the game has in franchise history RE6 sold well. It earned $683 mil from 11.2 mil copies shipped. Sure, that’s nearly a whole $100 mil short of RE5 but it’s not what you could call a flop. You have to give it to Capcom that they know when they’ve played a mechanic or style out and when it’s time to chart new territory.

Resident Evil 7 – 2017

The first foray into first person is now the reigning champion with 7.9 mil base game copies sold across PS4, Xbox One, and PC, grossing $394 mil. Now yes, RE4 has earn $474 mil but that’s across multiple platforms and generations. RE7 is only on current gen and that’s so far more copies sold than any other game in the franchise at debut.

Guess a lot of folks have been to the Baker’s for a visit. You can count on more sales when the game eventually gets brought over to PS5 and Xbox Series X.

Resident Evil 2 Remake – 2019

The RE2 remake blew everyone away with it’s perfect blend of nostalgia and new tech. This reimagining of the classic game felt faithful while still being something unique. It nails the atmosphere, combat, and tropes that the series is known for, earning it 7.2 mil copies sold and $432 mil in sales. 

Resident Evil 3 Remake – 2020

This entry must be cursed because it was plagued by the same problems as the original. Rushed to market just a year after the RE2 remake and hoping lightning would strike twice, Capcom stumbled as they tried to sell what felt like DLC at a $60 price point. The much shorter game didn’t hit with fans and thus far they’ve sold 2.7 mil copies, grossing $162 mil.

There you have it, a total breakdown of the major sales in the series. Hard to believe it’s been 24 years of Resident Evil but it’s the franchise that just won’t die (and thank goodness it won’t). The next entry in the series, Village, is expected to release in 2021.