Capcom’s Resident Evil 2 remake will get yet another collector’s edition which costs more than you were hoping to spend. Resident Evil 2 already has a collector’s edition filled with physical goodies and digital bonuses. But now it seems that’s just a “standard” collector’s edition – Capcom is also putting out a premium version for customers who want even more. As reported by Polygon, the Biohazard RE: 2 Z Version Premium Edition adds a Qwerkywriter Bluetooth mechanical keyboard to the set. It’s a modified version of Qwerkywriter’s S model with Umbrella Corporation branding, and includes a tablet/smartphone charging mount. You’ll also get four “ink ribbons” that reveal Resident Evil-themed masking tape when opened. Setting aside the fact that Qwerkywriter’s keyboard doesn’t resemble the in-game typewriter, this isn’t a bad collector’s edition when combined with everything from the previous set. The main sticking point is cost: Capcom has set its Premium Edition price tag to 99,800 yen, which costs about £700 or $900 US. Meanwhile, the keyboard costs around $250 on its own, while the standard collector’s edition is another $200. In other words, the Premium Edition assumes that $450 is the price of some Umbrella branding and a few sets of masking tape. That said, the Premium Edition is currently a Japanese exclusive, and has not been announced for European or North American markets. Unless you’re buying Resident Evil 2 from the Capcom online store, it could be a moot point. Resident Evil 2 launches for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on January 25, 2019.<doc-sep>The remake of Resident Evil 2 is a treat for fans, but serious collectors can get some very unique goodies--at least, if they live in Japan or want to pay for an import. While the game comes in several different collector's edition configurations on the Japanese site, the centerpiece is a working bluetooth and USB keyboard modeled after the series' iconic typewriter. The keyboard retails for 75,000 yen (approximately $675 USD) by itself, and is compatible with your PC, Mac, or tablet. For 82,800 yen ($750) you also get a copy of the game and a typewriter ribbon prop. The piece de resistance is the 99,00 yen ($900) copy, which includes the typewriter keyboard, four ribbons, and the boxed collector's edition of the game. That collector's edition comes with a poster, artbook, soundtrack CD, Leon Kennedy figure, collector's box, and a code for additional DLC, and goes for a more reasonable 24,800 ($225). All of these editions are for the PlayStation 4 version. Gallery All of these are only announced for Japan, with no indication yet that they'll come to the West. That means if you want your very own decadent piece of Resident Evil memorabilia, you may have to find an import shop. Such pricey special editions certainly shows a confidence in the fans to rally behind the game, despite Capcom's purported concerns about the updates. Resident Evil 2 is coming on January 25, 2019 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. For more details on our own collector's editions, check out our pre-order guide.<doc-sep>Leon S. Kennedy couldn’t afford this on a police salary Japanese Resident Evil fans can start saving up now for one of the coolest, and most expensive, collector’s editions ever seen. Capitol riot probe commission blocked from being created by Republicans It must be hard to think up what to put in some game’s collector’s editions, when the game’s setting doesn’t really lend itself to anything useful or obvious. Which is presumably why so many just give up and throw in a cheap-looking statute. Red Dead Redemption II was mocked by some fans for including a jigsaw puzzle in its collector’s edition but the one for Resident Evil 2 is a lot cooler: it comes with a Bluetooth keyboard that looks like the typewriters from the game. As any Resi fan will know, the old school Lexington typewriters were used to save your data in the game, as long as you had an ink ribbon with you. And that also comes with the special edition: although it’s only masking tape. That is pretty cool A European collector’s edition hasn’t been announced yet but the America one come with a Leon S. Kennedy statute, art book, and item box – which is also listed on Capcom’s Japanese website as the ‘Z Version’. The keyboard alone costs the equivalent of £530, while it’s available in a bundle with just the game for £590 or as a combination with the Z Version called the Premium Edition. Which costs the equivalent of almost £710. You’d have to be a pretty hardcore, and rich, Resident Evil fan to pony up for that, but we can’t pretend the keyboard isn’t highly desirable. There’s no indication it’ll be available in the West, but at the very least it’s likely to turn up on eBay and the like after the game is released on January 25. Update: Reader Lord Darkstorm has pointed out that it seems to be just a rebranded Qwerkywriter S Typewriter, which you can pick up for around £200-£240 depending on the region layout. So one of those and a homemade Umbrella sticker would amount to the same thing. The typewriters as they appear in the game Email gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk, leave a comment below, and follow us on Twitter<doc-sep>
The price-tags which are attached to game-related collector’s editions are usually pretty exorbitant, making it obvious that they’re really only meant for the serious (or at least seriously wealthy) collectors out there. However, the recently unveiled (not to mention ludicrously named) Biohazard RE: 2 Z Version Premium Edition might just take the cake with its 99,800 yen price, which equates to about $900 in U.S. currency. The reason why the new Resident Evil 2 collector’s edition has a yen price is because, as of this writing, it’s only available for pre-order in Japan, and Capcom hasn’t yet confirmed whether or not it will be offered to American buyers. Those who invest in the full 99,800 yen package will receive a copy of the game along with everything that’s included in the previously announced standard collector’s edition which, to recap, comes with the following: A 12-inch statue of game protagonist Leon Scott Kennedy in his RPD uniform A collector’s artbook A copy of the game’s soundtrack An ‘RPD Renovations Blueprint’ poster A DLC voucher card which unlocks a series of exclusive weapon skins and character outfits for both Leon and Claire Along with the above items, the Biohazard RE: 2 Z Version Premium Edition also comes with a customized fully functional Bluetooth keyboard that’s styled after Resident Evil 2’s in-game Lexington typewriter. The Bluetooth typewriter keyboard comes complete with high-quality Cherry blue keyswitches (to mimic the loud clicks of an actual typewriter), a built-in stand for your phone or tablet (to use as a screen), and special functionality such as a side knob that can scroll up and down on your screen and a lever that doubles as an Enter key. And of course, the package wouldn’t be complete without the signature ink rolls that players use in conjunction with the typewriter to save their in-game progress. However, the Biohazard RE: 2 Z Version Premium Edition’s included ink rolls are basically just stylized versions of Japan’s own washi tape, which in the U.S. is more formally known as black masking tape. If you’d rather just have the typewriter keyboard, Capcom is also offering it as a standalone purchase which will set you back a cool 75,000 yen ($675). Both the full Biohazard RE: 2 Z Version Premium Edition and the standalone Lexington typewriter keyboard can be pre-ordered now via Capcom’s Japanese Resident Evil 2 remake website. If any of the future games that Capcom plans on remaking end up being as popular as Resident Evil 2, expect additional pricey collector’s editions to follow suit.