The NPD Group’s most recent report, which monitors sales data through April 2005, confirms that the game has surpassed the 500,000 mark through its successful cumulative sales in the U.S. and Canada. In addition, the report reinforces thestrength of the Resident Evil series on the GameCube with Resident Evil®, Resident Evil 4, and Resident Evil® Ø (Zero) holding the positions as the top three “M” rated titles for the system with combined sales of more than 1.5 million units in the U.S. and Canada.

Based on the popular Resident Evil series, which has sold more than 26 million units worldwide and is Capcom’s highest selling series, Resident Evil 4 sees the return of a familiar hero on a mission of the highest level. Resident Evil 4 carries an “M” rating for mature audiences by the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) and will also be released for the PlayStationâ2 computer entertainment system later this year.

“With Resident Evil 4, the series and the entire survival horror genre have been advanced to a whole new level,” said Todd Thorson, director of marketing, Capcom Entertainment. “It’s been rewarding to see that the incredible response the game has received from fans and critics has been mirrored by a phenomenal retail performance.”

In Resident Evil 4 players are reacquainted with Leon S. Kennedy, Raccoon City Police Department’s idealistic rookie cop from Resident Evil 2. It has been six years since the destruction of Raccoon City and in that time, the U.S. government has been able to destroy the nefarious Umbrella Corporation. Fast forward to 2004 and players rejoin Leon, who is now a U.S. agent with a top-secret mission. He has been tasked to look into the abduction of the President’s daughter and his investigation has led him to a mysterious location in Europe. As Leon encounters unimaginable horrors, he must find out who or what is behind everything.