What city inspired Raccoon City?

[Zacmac90]

Since Raccoon City is known as a "Mid-Western town" the first thing that pops into my mind is Denver, Colorado thou I could be wrong. What do you think?

 

[Fishcakes]

It depends which film, game, etc your talking about. I'm pretty certain that resident evil 2's Raccoon City is made of Montréal & most fans think as a whole it's based off Springfield in Missouri

 

[Ikawaru]

It's an American city, but don't think it's inspired by any particular one, could be literally any small or medium sized city scattered throughout the midwest. I always figured it was in one of the Rust Belt states like Michigan, Ohio, or Indiana etc but we'll never know for sure.

 

[SpaceOwlHoot]

The S.D. Perry novels put Raccoon City in Pennsylvania.

These books aren't canon but there was something interesting I read the other day. During an interview, she was asked what the reasoning was behind putting the city in Pennsylvania and she said she thinks it was her editor's idea who might have gotten it from Capcom.

If this did come from Capcom, then either they just threw out a state without much thought or regard for the novels (in the interview it came of as Capcom didn't really much care for the books and didn't provide her much direction) or they always had the idea that the city would be in or around that area.

 

[Ikawaru]

I guess this makes sense.

 

[Bran]

The S.D. Perry novels put Raccoon City in Pennsylvania.

These books aren't canon but there was something interesting I read the other day. During an interview, she was asked what the reasoning was behind putting the city in Pennsylvania and she said she thinks it was her editor's idea who might have gotten it from Capcom.

If this did come from Capcom, then either they just threw out a state without much thought or regard for the novels (in the interview it came of as Capcom didn't really much care for the books and didn't provide her much direction) or they always had the idea that the city would be in or around that area.

It may have been because at the time, Capcom was considering Pennsylvania because of its history with zombie films and George Romero. Romero also placed RC in Pennsylvania for his script, and may have been inspired by Evans City when writing.

 

[Fishcakes]

I guess this makes sense.

Yea It's a massive fan theory

 

[SpaceOwlHoot]

It may have been because at the time, Capcom was considering Pennsylvania because of its history with zombie films and George Romero. Romero also placed RC in Pennsylvania for his script, and may have been inspired by Evans City when writing.

That's a good bit of info on why Pennsylvania

 

[SpaceOwlHoot]

I guess this makes sense.

I'm about 3 hours from Springfield, MO...maybe I'll check it out sometime

 

[Ikawaru]

As much as I always imagined RE taking place further north than Missouri, geologically there is no stronger candidate, as the mountain ranges further north aren't nearly as vast or elevated enough to suit the Arklay Mountains nor is there sufficient soft rock material for extensive underground facilities. When you can't think of a stronger thesis I guess you must concede to the most probable. Interesting indeed.

 

[Jonipoon]

There's always Roanoke in Virginia. Although Virginia isn't part of the Midwestern states, the city of Roanoke definitely suits the bill in terms of both population (ca 100,000+), and overall look and location. It's a medium-sized typical American city located right next to the Blue Ridge Mountains). It even has a river flowing through the city, and their police department is also fittingly called the RPD.

Based on look alone, both the city and the mountain range located to the northwest is eerie similar to Raccoon City and the Arklay Mountains seen in the original trilogy.

And on a funny sidenote, Roanoke is commonly referred to as "Star City" which would be a reference to S.T.A.R.S.

 

[Agent 00747]

Possibly Denver.

 

[Murderer Enshrined]

Initially, I was thinking Ann Arbor, Michigan

But after watching that video, I have to admit, I think it's Springfield Missouri

 

[Mountie]

I think it also could have also or only been British Columbia. It has the Rocky Mountains and a borael forest geography much like British Columbia.

 

[Mountie]

Here is one that claims a city in Springfield inspired Raccoon:

 

[Fishcakes]

Yea Springfield is definitely one of, if not the biggest fan favourite, there's quite a few videos n everything on it so it looks pretty likely?

 

[Mountie]

Yea Springfield is definitely one of, if not the biggest fan favourite, there's quite a few videos n everything on it so it looks pretty likely?

Possibly

 

[Mountie]

Here are the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. An easy inspiration for the Arklay mountains, although British Columbia is more forested, so that might be the closer inspiration: