From the ashes of old conflicts, a new terror arises. The Umbrella Corporation and its crop of lethal viruses have been destroyed and contained. But a new, more dangerous threat has emerged. Years after surviving the events in Raccoon City, Chris Redfield has been fighting the scourge of bio-organic weapons all over the world. Now a member of the Bio-terrorism Security Assessment Alliance (BSSA), Chris is sent to Africa to investigate a biological agent that is transforming the populace into aggressive and disturbing creatures. Joined by another local BSSA agent, Sheva Alomar, the two must work together to solve the truth behind the disturbing turn of events. Featuring a revolutionary new co-op mode of gameplay, Resident Evil 5 will let players experience fear together as terror moves out of the shadows and into the light of day.

Co-producer and series veterans Jun Takeuchi (Lost Planet) and Masachika Kawata (Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition, Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles) unleash an unprecedented level of fear for the new generation in Resident Evil 5. Promising to revolutionize the series by delivering an unbelievable level of detail, realism and control, Resident Evil 5 is certain to bring new fans to the series. Incredible changes to both the gameplay and world of Resident Evil make this a must-have game for gamers across the globe.

Capcom plan to release two new downloadable episodes, a host of new costumes, and a new “Mercenaries Reunion” mode featuring 8 new playable characters and weapon load outs.  

For those Resident Evil fans who prefer a box copy, we are also happy to report that we will be releasing a Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition that will include the original game plus all additional content, making this the ultimate Resident Evil 5 experience.  Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition will be available for $49.99 as a single Blu-ray disc for the PS3 or as a DVD with a token for the downloadable content for Xbox 360.

Previously only seen during cut-scenes of the original Resident Evil 5, the first new episode titled ‘ Lost in Nightmares’, finds BSAA agent, Chris Redfield, working with his partner, Jill Valentine, as they investigate Ozwell E. Spencer’s hideaway. Spencer, the evil mastermind and co-founder of Umbrella Corporation, has been concealing a new evil deep within the basement of his mansion. Chris and Jill discover this grotesque evil standing in their way as the two enter deeper into the catacombs beneath the mansion.

Simultaneous with the release of ‘ Lost in Nightmares’ new costumes for Chris and Sheva will be made available, allowing the player to experience Resident Evil 5 with a fresh new look and feel through both game play and cut-scene playback. A refresh of Mercenaries Mode, ‘ The Mercenaries Reunion’, gives players new playable characters and weapon load-outs which provide players additional challenges as they aim to shoot down as many enemies as they can within a limited time. Each piece of downloadable content will contain two new playable characters. The Gold Edition will feature all eight.

Here's the dates to start expecting the downloadable content. For the List in Nightmares  episode and Costume Pack 1, Feb. 17, 2010 on 360, and Feb. 18, 2010 for PS3. Episode 2 (title TBA) and Costume Pack 2 will hit on March 3rd, 2010 for 360, and March 4th, 2010 for PS3. Both PS3 and 360 versions will hit shelves on March 9, 2010 in North America (March 12 in Europe).

Key Features

• Chris Redfield, protagonist of the original Resident Evil and Resident Evil: Code Veronica, returns
• Chris is joined by new character Sheva Alomar, an African special agent tasked with investigating the epidemic
• 2 player co-op online gameplay means that players are not alone in their fight against the horror lurking around every corner
• Simultaneous global release date for both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on March 13, 2009
• New enemies bring new challenges: speed and intelligence make adversaries as dangerous singly as they are in groups.
• An arsenal of weapons at the player’s command to keep the evil at bay, including knives, pistols, machine guns, sniper rifles and more.
• Lighting effects provide a new level of suspense in both harsh light and deepest shadow
• True high definition gaming on multiple game platforms, using an advanced version of Capcom’s proprietary game engine, MT Framework, which powered the next-gen, million-plus hit titles Devil May Cry 4, Lost Planet and Dead Rising.