No, Resident Evil 2 and 3 Do Not Take Place Fully Concurrently

As a long-time survival horror aficionado, I‘ve played every Resident Evil game to 100% completion. So I‘m often asked by fellow passionate RE fans if the iconic remade sequels Resident Evil 2 (2019) and Resident Evil 3 (2020) take place at the same time chronologically.

It‘s easy to assume so, given the close Release timing and location overlap in fictional Raccoon City. However, based on extensive analysis of dates, character threads, and narrative flow – the definitive answer is no, they do not entirely occur concurrently. Rather, RE3 has a split timeline – its opening precedes RE2, then later second half follows after Leon and Claire‘s adventure.

Let‘s fully untangle this by examining the key evidence…

Jill Witnesses Raccoon City‘s Initial Outbreak Hours

Resident Evil 3 thrusts players into controlling the intrepid S.T.A.R.S veteran Jill Valentine as she navigates the initial chaotic hours of the T-Virus spilling out into Raccoon City‘s streets on September 28th, 1998.

We experience these panicked moments vividly through Jill‘s eyes early in RE3, like when she first encounters the hulking Nemesis Tyrant stalking her at the Kite Bros Railway subway station. Or her tense urban escapades dodging zombies while trying to meet up with Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service (UBCS) mercenaries.

Compare this to RE2 – which picks up the story over a full day later on September 29th, 1998 with rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy and college student Claire Redfield arriving to the now completely overrun city. RE2‘s opening hours have a different tone conveying the aftermath, not the active initial containment breach.

So RE3 Chapter 1, Nightmare, plants Jill at ground zero 24 hours prior. This creates an expansive picture of the mushrooming disaster, with RE2 showing the subsequent urban decay.

Estimated Playtime Before Stories Merge Again

Based on average playtimes, it takes ~7 hours to complete Jill‘s initial RE3 escape. Compare ~12 hours for one full RE2 playthrough. This charts a good day or so separating the two at first – where RE3 Chapter 2 then picks up after RE2‘s conclusion.

My Presumption on Why This Structure?

Likely this split narrative was partly a gameplay decision – starting RE3 off with Jill offers variety, then returning to Raccoon City late provides a fresh challenge. But story-wise, it lays groundwork on Umbrella instigating the viral outbreak before RE2‘s main events. Expanding scope and context.

Leon Cameo Hints at Post-RE2 Setting

Further evidence comes from RE fan favorite Leon Kennedy appearing in RE3‘s epilogue scene – set beyond his RE2 heroics. A U.S. agent approaches Leon about joining a mysterious organization. His later Resident Evil 4 role confirms Leon enters government service shortly after escaping Raccoon City.

This glimpse into Leon‘s future indicates RE3 Chapter 3 Paradise happens after RE2‘s conclusion, likely October 1st, 1998 – solidifying the split timeline. Jill returns to the still-burning necropolis following Leon and Claire‘s escape.

My Theory on Missing Characters

Claire Redfield and Ada Wong also don‘t appear in RE3, their status during the overlap ambiguous. My theory is Claire likely would be laying low/recovering from her RE2 ordeal. While covert operative Ada was extracting her new G-Virus sample data.

But the Leon nod sets clear precedence on RE3 ultimately advancing past RE2‘s events when Jill faces the Nemesis for a final time.

Expanding the Scope of the Outbreak

So in summary – RE3‘s bifurcated narrative creates a wider snapshot of the Raccoon City catastrophe:

• RE3 Opening (Chapter 1 + 2): Portrays the initial critical hours
• RE2: Focuses on the subsequent dire day
• RE3 Ending (Chapter 3): Jumps past RE2 later

It expands the scope – with the climaxes not running concurrently. Jill‘s first escape happens as Leon/Claire are en route. Her return trip picks up after they‘ve left town.

Chronological Order of Key Story Beats

To help visualize the timeline, here‘s a chronological order of pivotal story moments between the two games:

1. RE3 Prologue: Jill surveys burning city (9/27 – 9/28/1998)
2. RE3 Ch. 1: Jill escapes initial subway outbreak (9/28 early AM)
3. RE3 Ch. 2: Jill leaves city with Carlos to seek safety (9/28 late PM)
4. RE2 Main Story: Leon/Claire adventure in the city (9/29 – 9/30)
5. RE3 Ch. 3: Jill returns for final showdown (10/1)

So RE2 is sandwiched between Jill initially escaping and subsequently coming back.

My Presumption on Ada‘s Actions

Regarding Ada Wong‘s absence in RE3 – she likely used the September 29-30 window portrayed in RE2 to stealthily extract her new G-Virus research data from the NEST laboratory and send it off to her unknown organization handlers. Just my theory as a hardcore fan on her probable movements during those days specifically.

References to Other Resident Evil Plot Points

Further analyzing the last RE3 scene – we also get glimpses into other Resident Evil lore continuity:

1. The agent chatting with Leon hints he‘ll join an organization dealing with bio-threats – foreshadowing later games like RE4 with Leon working for the U.S. STRATCOM organization
2. We also learn Jill is presumed dead after the city‘s destruction – setting up her disappearance that troubles Chris Redfield in Resident Evil 5

These are just a superfan‘s exciting observations on how RE2 and RE3‘s split timeline sets up intriguing story threads continued throughout the broader series!

Let me know if you have any other RE timeline or plot analysis questions. I‘m always eager to dig deeper into Resident Evil‘s rich lore and character tapestry as a dedicated expert gamer in this beloved survival horror realm.