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The Nintendo Switch 2 versions of Resident Evil 2 Z Version Deluxe Edition, Resident Evil 3 Z Version and Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition went live as digital downloads on October 16, 2026. Resident Evil 2 costs 3,990 yen (about US$26, converted at 153 yen to the dollar), Resident Evil 3 is 2,990 yen (about US$20) and Resident Evil 4 is 4,990 yen (about US$33), and all three are 1,000 yen (about US$7) off as a launch celebration price through November 7, 2026.
Physical editions are due on January 29, 2027, priced the same as the standard digital versions. Resident Evil 4 includes the extra scenario Separate Ways, and Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 bundle existing DLC as well. All three carry Japan’s CERO Z rating, which restricts them to buyers 18 and over.
This article lays out what the three games cost, what’s in them, what the Z Version label on the box actually means, how to decide which one to start with, and the things worth watching out for. Buying all three at the sale price comes to 8,970 yen (about US$59). Here’s everything you need if you want to make the call before November 7.
Let’s start with the prices.
How much are Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 4 on Switch 2? And when does the sale end?
Digital prices run 3,990 yen (about US$26) for Resident Evil 2, 2,990 yen (about US$20) for Resident Evil 3 and 4,990 yen (about US$33) for Resident Evil 4, all including tax. Through November 7, 2026, each is 1,000 yen (about US$7) off as a launch celebration price, which puts Resident Evil 2 at 2,990 yen (about US$20), Resident Evil 3 at 1,990 yen (about US$13) and Resident Evil 4 at 3,990 yen (about US$26). Physical editions land on January 29, 2027 at the same price as the standard digital versions.
| Title | Standard price | Through November 7 | Physical edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident Evil 2 Z Version Deluxe Edition | 3,990 yen (about US$26) | 2,990 yen (about US$20) | January 29, 2027, 3,990 yen (about US$26) |
| Resident Evil 3 Z Version | 2,990 yen (about US$20) | 1,990 yen (about US$13) | January 29, 2027, 2,990 yen (about US$20) |
| Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition | 4,990 yen (about US$33) | 3,990 yen (about US$26) | January 29, 2027, 4,990 yen (about US$33) |
Grabbing all three during the sale costs 8,970 yen (about US$59). At standard prices that would be 11,970 yen (about US$78), so the gap is 3,000 yen (about US$20). Waiting for the physical editions means waiting three more months, with no sale to take advantage of. If you’ve got the storage space for the downloads, buying before November 7 is the cheapest route there is.
What’s in each game? The included DLC and the meaning of Z Version
Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition packs in several pieces of existing DLC, headlined by Separate Ways, the extra scenario that follows Ada Wong through events running behind the main story. Resident Evil 2 Z Version Deluxe Edition bundles the main game plus a long list of existing DLC. Resident Evil 3 Z Version includes costume DLC that calls back to the original Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. According to Capcom’s press release, all three were rebuilt in RE ENGINE and are played from an over-the-shoulder camera.
The Z Version tag attached to these titles denotes Japan’s CERO Z rating, which limits sales to buyers 18 and over. It marks the Japanese release that eases back the content edits normally applied to domestic versions, the same logic Capcom used for the Japanese PS4 and PS5 releases.
| Title | Protagonist | What’s included |
|---|---|---|
| Resident Evil 2 Z Version Deluxe Edition | Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield | The biohazard outbreak in Raccoon City. Bundles a long list of existing DLC |
| Resident Evil 3 Z Version | Jill Valentine | Escaping the pursuer Nemesis. Includes costume DLC styled after the original |
| Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition | Leon S. Kennedy | Rescuing the president’s daughter in a European village. Includes the extra scenario Separate Ways |
Resident Evil 4 is the easiest of the three to read as a loaded package. Separate Ways fills in the story from a vantage point outside the main campaign, and content you’d otherwise pay extra for is in the box from the start.
Which one should you play first? Entry points for newcomers and returning fans
If you’ve never touched the series, Resident Evil 4 is the clearest way in. Its story stands on its own, and it has the quickest-feeling controls of the three. Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 are a connected pair set in the same Raccoon City, and playing them in order, starting with Resident Evil 2, lets you follow the timeline of the city falling apart.
If you’re short on time, go with Resident Evil 3. It’s 1,990 yen (about US$13) and the quickest of the three to finish. If you’d rather settle in, Resident Evil 2 lasts longest, since its two protagonists assume you’ll play through twice.
My own pick is Claire’s campaign in Resident Evil 2. That second run, where you already know the police station layout and start cutting through the back routes, is exactly the right density to carry around on a handheld.
Any concerns? What Resident Evil 3 leaves out, and the gap before physical copies
Two things give me pause. Resident Evil 3 Z Version doesn’t include the online multiplayer game Resident Evil Resistance, and the physical editions are more than three months out, on January 29, 2027.
On other platforms, Resident Evil 3 shipped bundled with Resistance. The Switch 2 release is pared down to the main game plus costume DLC, so anyone buying for multiplayer should take note. If you insist on a physical copy, the sale ending November 7 is out of reach, and you’ll be waiting to pay standard price.
Capcom’s press release says nothing about the technical side specific to the Switch 2 versions, such as resolution, frame rate or whether mouse controls are supported. As of October 2026 there has been no official word on those numbers, so this one waits on reports from the hardware itself.
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In summary: pricing and release dates for Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 4 on Switch 2
The Switch 2 digital versions of Resident Evil 2 Z Version Deluxe Edition, Resident Evil 3 Z Version and Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition went live on October 16, 2026. They cost 3,990 yen (about US$26), 2,990 yen (about US$20) and 4,990 yen (about US$33), each 1,000 yen (about US$7) off through November 7. Physical editions arrive January 29, 2027 at the standard prices. Resident Evil 4 includes Separate Ways, and Resident Evil 3 does not include Resistance. All three are rated CERO Z.
Three RE ENGINE Resident Evil games you can carry in a bag, all yours for 8,970 yen (about US$59) together. The absence of official performance numbers is a worry, but with the sale deadline pinned to November 7, the decision itself is easy enough. Start with Resident Evil 4, pick Resident Evil 3 if you’re pressed for time, and go with Resident Evil 2 if you want the longest stay.
Taking Leon, Claire and Jill along on the commuter train. We’ve finally reached the era where you can do that.
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Nokko Oda
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