We have recently entered an era of collecting where retro gaming includes many of the biggest games from consoles such as the XBox and Playstation 1, which has opened up a whole new market for high-priced first releases and rarities that until just a few years ago could be picked up for less then their original cost in game exchange stores and online. While that is still true of mass-market releases, there are some early versions of these games that are now challenging classic NES grails with prices pushing six figures at auction. One such example is the sale of one of the most genre-defining titles released on the PS1; a 1996 copy of Resident Evil that sold for $93,940 including buyer’s fees at Goldin’s recent summer auction. After terrifying a generation of gamers, the survival horror title is now one of the elite games that collectors are desperate to add to their collection.
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Of course, it is not just any old copy of Resident Evil that is able to command this kind of price. The example sold in this auction is graded CGC 9.6 and is a pristine, factory-sealed version of Capcom’s iconic gem. The quality is only one part of the story, though, as this is also a ridged longbox edition of the game that is a “Manufactured/Printed in the USA” version that is incredibly difficult to find and is one of the earliest releases of the game. Considering the scarcity of this exact game in any kind of good condition, the near-perfect grading – which makes it the highest-graded version available – was enough to make several bidders push the price up to the level that has often been reserved for retro cartridges from a previous generation of consoles.
Resident Evil Brought Zombies Back to Life
Of course, the history of the Resident Evil franchise also has a part to play in this sale, as the influence of the game on both future survival horror titles and the horror genre in general cannot be ignored. Although zombies have been part of horror cinema since its early years, and the zombie myth itself is older still, genuinely strong zombie stories come and go in waves. George A. Romero became the undisputed godfather of zombie movies with this Living Dead titles, and several others took up the challenge of attempting to keeping the undead shambling on through the years. Resident Evil brought zombies back in a big way with its story of the Umbrella Corporation’s horrifying bio-chemical experiments and devastating T-Virus, and it did not stop with just the one game.
Resident Evil spawned several remakes and direct sequels, featuring returning characters and familiar locations, before the game arm of the franchise began to branch out into new scenarios that left behind the original mansion, the zombies, and characters like Chris Renfield. However, it’s influence on the zombie genre stretched far and wide, leading to a panned but popular movie franchise starring Milla Jovovich, an ill-fated Netflix TV series, and a number of reboot attempts. The latest Resident Evil movie project comes from Weapons director Zach Cregger and is already looking to bring a bold and new vision to the franchise. Meanwhile, the Resident Evil zombie revival inspired other movie franchises such as 28 Days Later and the comic books/TV series, The Walking Dead. It looks like even 30 years after its debut on the PS1, Resident Evil is still going strong, and that is another reason why collectors would be willing to pay almost $100,000 to add an original copy of the game that started it all to their collection.
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