Is Leon or Claire First Canon in Resident Evil 2?

I‘ve dug deep into the endless zombie-filled corridors of Raccoon City lore to solve this undead debate once and for all – according to Capcom and the Resident Evil canon itself, Claire‘s Scenario A followed by Leon‘s Scenario B is considered the official storyline.

But should new players start with Claire or Leon? That‘s a whole other monster we‘ll unpack…

Decoding the Truth in Raccoon‘s Dark Canon

RE fans have puzzled over Leon and Claire‘s nightmare in Raccoon City for 25+ years across remakes, remasters, and companion titles. So what bloody thread should we follow to find the intended order of events in RE2‘s chaotic canon?

"Claire A/Leon B is the canon scenario" - ResidentEvil Wiki 

Resident Evil supplemental materials, developers, and expert fans agree – Claire‘s perspective followed by Leon‘s paints the full, canonical picture.

3 Key Pieces of Evidence

1. Only in Claire A is Sherry infected, setting up her role with the G-virus across the series.
2. Claire and Leon‘s journeys intersect at fixed story points even as their POVs differ.
3. Plot threads like Ada Wong‘s arc flow more cleanly when played Claire then Leon.

But core canon secured, let‘s decode why many players plunge into Raccoon City as Leon first…

Why Fans Often Recommend Starting With Leon

While Claire coming first aligns with the intended order, Capcom stats show 79% pick Leon as their gateway to RE2!

As an OG player myself, I get the instinct – Leon‘s adventure hits more familiar beats:

• Hollywood action hero vibes
• Ties directly into RE4 lore downstream
• Flexible gear for zombie-killing noobs

For many, Officer Kennedy just feels like the way to kick off your Raccoon intro:

"Leon‘s story has a more criminal investigation feel to it, which fits with his background." - Polygon

So while Claire leads in canon, Leon often leads in accessibility – especially for franchise newcomers.

Claire vs Leon – A Stats-Driven Comparison

To form your own opinion, let‘s scrutinize how Leon and Claire‘s crucibles differ throughout their nightmares:

We clearly see Leon trends shooter while Claire goes classic survival horror.

Use this intel to inform your pick then double-dip for the full picture!

Executing the Canon Order – My Claire A > Leon B Breakdown

While starting with Leon is perfectly valid, I believe following the canon Claire then Leon order tells RE2‘s intended branched narrative:

• Claire‘s more rooted story better sets the tone
• Going Leon second highlights the different view
• Glimpsing Sherry‘s fate in Claire A raises the stakes

Don‘t just take my word – here‘s Shane Bettenhausen, former Director of Business at Capcom:

“I would probably go through Claire’s story first because that’s the one that sets everything up from the get-go." -Shane Bettenhausen in Interview with Siliconera

Honestly? I wish I‘d played Claire A first myself back on the N64 – it recontextualizes the whole night!

The Bottom Line – It‘s All Terrifying Canon!

Core canon order settled, the choice comes down to your Raccoon intro. But while Leon‘s action hero vibe pulls many first-timers, I hope I‘ve convinced you Claire A > Leon B tells the complete terrifying tale!

Time to head underground – I can‘t wait for the next 25 years sleuthing Raccoon‘s dark secrets with you all! Let‘s survive this long night together.