Capcom Logs RE2 Preorders

Capcom announced Thursday that Resident Evil 2 has generated 125,000 consumer preorders, a record for the company. The game ships on January 21, eight days before its Japanese counterpart, Bio Hazard 2, hits stores (on the 29th).

RE2 is also backed by a multitiered US$5 million marketing campaign, which includes dedicated TV ads - prime time network, cable, and syndicated - print advertising, a movie sweepstakes (the winner gets to be in the Resident Evil movie, see below), and point-of-purchase displays.

Capcom says that RE2 is twice as large as the original and took more than $1 million to create. The two-disc game will retail for $59.99 and carries an "M" rating.

Robert Lindsey, senior vice president of sales and marketing, Capcom Entertainment, said, "Response... has been overwhelming. In fact, our current orders exceed our ability to meet demand by our ship date of January 21. I don't believe there is anyone who follows this industry that doesn't know that Resident Evil 2 is coming. We couldn't be more pleased."

The grand prize winner of the "Win a Part in the Resident Evil Movie" sweepstakes takes home a walk-on part in the upcoming Resident Evil live-action movie. Bernd Eichinger and Constantin Films of Germany acquired the rights to develop Resident Evil into a feature film last year. Screenwriter Alan McElroy, of Spawn, is slated to pen the screenplay.