So you want to be a Resident Evil expert? I'm no stranger to Capcom's horror franchise, being a huge fan of the games, movies, books, and TV shows alike, but it's not cheap to learn up on all of your knowledge. Sure, you can read a synopsis online, but you miss out on some extra subtle and not-so-subtle things that can expand your understanding of this world even further. So, let's answer that pressing question: how much does it cost to become a Resident Evil expert?
The logical place to start is the Resident Evil games, of which there are plenty. Some of these beloved horror games aren't too difficult to get ahold of, nor are they particularly pricey, with recent entries, such as the RE2, 3, and 4 remakes, costing you roughly $20 a pop on Amazon, while the newest mainline entry (until February 27, 2026), Resident Evil Village, only costs a bit more at around $26. Now, alone, these prices aren't too bad, but remember, you want to be an expert, and that means playing them all, which means buying them all. Hang on, before I pull at that thread, let's address some of the rarer entries in the series.
For some of the older games, like the Survivor and Outbreak series, you need to head to eBay for a shot at getting them, and let's just say that you'll be lucky if all they cost is a new PlayStation or Switch game. If you want to own Resident Evil Gaiden, a rare Game Boy game, you need to be willing to part with roughly $230, maybe a bit more or less depending on the seller. While considerably less than that, both of the Outbreak games are in the $100 region, though you might be able to snag the first one for $80 if you're lucky. Survivor, meanwhile, goes for $60, while Survivor 2 can also fetch $100, as can Umbrella Corps - is your bank account crying yet?
Overall, to own all of the Resident Evil games that you possibly can, that includes all mainline entries and spin-offs, including the ones I've not mentioned individually and Resident Evil Requiem, you need to be willing to part with roughly $1,137, depending on what offers you discover on eBay. Boy, am I happy to be a long-time fan who already owns some of the pricier entries.
Okay, now that your eyes are watering at the money you may have to spend on the games, let's move on to the movies and TV shows, as it's a lot cheaper to get your hands on these, or to watch them at least. You can rent all of the Mila Jovovich live-action Resident Evil movies for around $3.99, with the first film even being included with your Amazon Prime subscription, so if you haven't used your free trial yet, that's a freebie for you - you can also watch Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City on Prime in the UK or through a Starz membership in the US. If you don't have either of those, it's just another $3.99 to rent it.
Now that the live-action films are out of the way, it's time to move on to those animated gems. Luckily for you, a couple of them, Biohazard 4D-Executor and Biohazard 4 Incubate, are free to watch on YouTube. Meanwhile, a further two, Infinite Darkness and Death Island, are available on Netflix, which you can watch for a minimum of $7.99 a month with a subscription. Finally, Degeneration, Damnation, and Vendetta are available to rent on Amazon Prime for $3.59, $3.99, and $3.99, respectively.
Between all of those games, movies, and TV shows, you can learn an awful lot about Resident Evil and absolutely become an expert, but if you want to go a small step further, you can also purchase the series of books by S. D. Perry. There are seven to get, all of which are available on Amazon. Caliban Cave, City of the Dead, Underworld, Nemesis, Code Veronica, and Zero Hour cost $12.95 each, while The Umbrella Conspiracy has a lower price at $11.26.
Overall, to experience all that you can across the games, films, TV shows, and a series of books, you're looking at approximately $1,263.97. Yeah, that's a lot of money, but considering how rare some of the Resi games are, that price isn't too bad; it's certainly cheaper than securing yourself all of the Mario sports games. Come to think of it, just under $1,300 is also considerably cheaper than the Hamilton Resident Evil Requiem watches that are on the way, which cost around $1,524 and $2,357, respectively.