I get it, I get it. You’re desperate. Otherwise you wouldn’t be searching for Resident Evil 2 Early Access and whether you can play RE 2 early before release. We’re here to give you all the answers you need in that regard. So, can you play the Resident Evil 2 remake early and before its release on January 25? I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news…
Is there Resident Evil 2 Early Access?
While you can download your copy of Resident Evil 2 early through pre-orders on January 23, there is no conceivable way to play RE 2 before release date. Sorry about that.
That also means that the various different editions that the game comes bundled with also doesn’t include the chance to have a crack at Resident Evil 2 Early Access days before anyone else gets the chance to fumble through Raccoon City PD as Leon S. Kennedy or Claire Redfield.
However, there is a way to play Resident Evil 2 before release, but only one section of it.
Can I play Resident Evil 2 before release?
Yes, you probably saw this one coming but the only tried-and-tested way to play Resident Evil 2 before release is the 1-Shot demo. As the name implies, you only get one chance to complete a tiny section of the game based around Resident Evil 2‘s opening hour within the RCPD Main Hall. Once that’s done then, poof, your chances of playing Resident Evil 2 before January 25 are positively nil, unless you work around the system by creating multiple accounts (not exactly recommended!) or if you pick up the RE 2 demo on more than one platform.
Either way, you’re still locked into that tiny fragment of the game and can’t go any further. This isn’t a Yakuza 6 deal where the entire game was accidentally bundled with the demo once downloaded. But don’t worry, there’s not long to go now. We’re down to days and hours rather than weeks and months.