How does Resident Evil 7 fit into the timeline?
Resident Evil 7 biohazard was released in 2017 and occurs around 2015-2016 in the fictional Resident Evil timeline, approximately 3 years after Resident Evil 6 (2012). Though it introduces new protagonist Ethan Winters and a different setting, RE7 contains clear connections to the previous games.
When Does RE7 Take Place?
Based on dates found in the "Beginning Hour" demo and statements from Capcom, Resident Evil 7 happens in June 2017, with the main story occurring a few years before that. Working backwards while factoring in the 3 year gap places RE7 around 2015-2016 in the series‘ timeline.
Connections to Previous Resident Evil Games
Despite centering on Ethan‘s search for his missing wife Mia in a decrepit plantation mansion, Resident Evil 7 features several overt and subtle links to the rest of the series:
- The molded monsters and mutated Baker family are the result of new bio-organic weapon (B.O.W.) research derived from past viruses like the T-Virus and C-Virus
- There are references made to the Umbrella Corporation, the pharmaceutical company behind much of the early viral weaponry
- Series veteran Chris Redfield appears at the end to rescue Ethan and Mia, anchoring RE7 firmly within the timeline
- RE7 sets up later events and characters like Ethan and Mia‘s baby Rose, who drives the plot of sequel Resident Evil Village
So while RE7 utilizes a first-person view and Southern Gothic setting unlike previous entries, it still contains canonical connections to the rest of the games and universe.
How RE7 Continues Umbrella‘s Legacy
The Umbrella Corporation may have been dismantled years ago within the Resident Evil timeline, but the ramifications of their viral research still remain. The mutated Mold present in RE7 has been confirmed to be a new type of B.O.W. derived from earlier versions Umbrella engineered like:
| Virus | Description | First Appeared In |
|---|---|---|
| T-Virus | Reanimates dead cells, turns people into zombies | Resident Evil (1996) |
| G-Virus | Enhances physical abilities, grants regenerative powers | Resident Evil 2 (1998) |
| C-Virus | Similar increased strength/regeneration as G-Virus but allows for more intelligent mutations | Resident Evil 6 (2012) |
| Mold | Fungal parasite that maintains brain function but erodes higher cognition over time, leads to violent mutated transformations | Resident Evil 7 (2017) |
The Mold‘s similarities to these past bio-weapons, as well as files found referring to Umbrella‘s research, confirm RE7 continues the legacy of viral experimentation shaping the Resident Evil universe – despite Umbrella itself being gone.
How RE7 Sets Up Future Games
By the end of Resident Evil 7, protagonists Ethan Winters and Mia are some of the few to escape infection and survive an elaborate bioweapons plot. Later, the two marry and have a child named Rose. This daughter becomes hugely important to the sequel Resident Evil Village as Rose exhibits mysterious powers that drive future events.
So RE7 doesn‘t just fit into the past lore and timeline, it seeds the ground for future games as well!
In conclusion, while Resident Evil 7 biohazard adopts a new presentation and locale unseen in previous franchise entries, it still firmly connects to the canonical Resident Evil universe through both subtle references and overt plot developments. And by continuing Umbrella‘s research into the Mold bioweapon, RE7 shows how the ramifications of past viral experiments still threaten the present. Even with Umbrella gone, the horrors they engineered live on to plague a new generation of characters.
