Or at least wear his clothes.
Monday, April 11 2012, Capcom announced that the limited Resident Evil 6 Collectors Edition would cost an unprecedented US$1,300 dollars (¥105,000) and would include a copy of the game, four Resident Evil 6 tablet covers (for each of your friends…?) and an authentic Leon Kennedy leather jacket (haircut not included).
My first reaction to such a surprisingly expensive collector’s edition was a strange mix of revulsion and awe (I’m still confused emotionally) but I quickly came to the realization that we’ve been heading towards this for quite a while.
We all knew it was just a matter of time before the unnecessarily luxurious entered gaming, and I don’t mean within the actual games.
It used to be that this sort of unnecessary luxury on otherwise fairly necessary items was tolerably contained to diamond encrusted watches and fancy sunglasses; but then somehow it made the jump to technology. Today it seems like there’s always some new story about a deluxe platinum iPad that will teach your kids French or a cell phone that comes with a complimentary concierge.
Hell, there are bras that cost $1,200 dollars ($40 for the bra, $1,160 for the sparkle), why wouldn’t that kind of thinking enter into the world of collector’s edition games?
The gaming market already had a preexisting niche carved out for this transition; collector’s editions are no novelty to the casual or experienced gamer, and while the prices of collector’s editions have usually hovered around the $80- $100 dollar mark it shouldn’t be a surprise that some gamers are willing to fork over more for limited edition game merchandise.
As a fan of the Resident Evil franchise I briefly considered the idea of having Leon Kennedy’s jacket; would it be worth the extra $1200 to look more authentic as I jauntily swagger around my apartment, spin-kicking in doors while my friend (alright, my captive friend) shouts “Leon! Help!” from my kitchen?
Actually, maybe. But moving on.
For some, the Resident Evil franchise may be extremely important, I’ve heard of stranger emulation situations; and while it sucks that I (and probably most) can’t afford such an expensive piece of wearable gaming memorabilia, the idea that in the near future we gamers could own items from our favorite games makes the nerdy fan in me ecstatic.
Seriously, consider what you would pay for an authentic iconic item from your favorite video game? If it could be anything; an Aperture Science portal gun, an authentic Halo energy sword, an Ezio Auditore hood? Maybe you’re one of those who would pay nothing, but we all know there are those who could and would pay a substantial amount.
We already know gamers like to make their games a reality; cosplaying is larger than ever and shows no signs of slowing down as it becomes more and more acceptable and encouraged in mainstream society. And while it’s true that you can always make your own Halo sword (or pay someone on etsy to do it), don’t we pay for the collector’s edition because we love the game so much that we want everything we can get from it? Didn’t having the authentic Mario pogs, and not those cardboard pieces you colored to look like Mario pogs, make you feel that much more connected to the game?
So who’s to say Capcom isn’t taking that first step towards materializing our favorite games; maybe someday official N7 armor and Gray Cowls of Nocturnal will be available to all of us in collector’s editions, and those who are willing can invest in a piece of the game that changed their life (as so many games do.)
Until then price of the Resident Evil 6 Collector’s Edition keeps me at bay, but the concept will keep me thinking, and excited.
