Resident Evil 1.5
With rumors of leaked builds circulating since the 1990s, Resident Evil 1.5 became the focus of dedicated fans and video game preservationists to obtain and release a copy to the public.Despite its unofficial status, 1.5's existence has been publicly referenced by Capcom, who included Elza's motorcycle suit as an unlockable costume for Claire in Resident Evil 2's remake.The Raccoon Police Station, initially heavily inspired by the 1976 film Assault on Precinct 13, was seen as visually uninteresting compared to Spencer Mansion, and was redesigned based on photographic references that the team was "told off" for taking.Some beta versions of Resident Evil 2 contained 1.5 backgrounds and assets hidden within their code, and became red herrings when fans later tried to rebuild the lost game.[5] While never distributed by Capcom in an official capacity, leaked development builds of the game were rumored to have been in circulation as early as the late 1990s, prompting numerous hoaxes and claims that fans possessed a copy in order to flaunt it as a status symbol.[7] Eventually, a different fan, author Richard Mandel, discovered an alternate build for sale on eBay, purchased it and released it unmodified in June 2013.[1] Capcom included a nod to 1.5 in the deluxe edition of the remake of Resident Evil 2, adding a costume for Claire that was based on the original concept art for Elza Walker, the character she later replaced.