Last weekend saw the launch of Friday the 13th: The Game, following a lengthy delay beyond its planned 2016 release date. Scores of players are already living out their horror movie fantasies online, and as a result, an exclusive skin designed by special effects legend Tom Savini is become a highly sought after item.

Savini's skin was unveiled ahead of the game's launch, and covers Jason Voorhees in battle scars and flames, and replaces his signature machete with a trident. The only way to gain access to this special outfit was by pre-ordering Friday the 13th: The Game — and since the game has now been released, it's no longer available to latecomers.

Clearly, there's a great deal of demand for the skin, as redemption codes are being listed on eBay with incredibly steep prices attached. Players can buy the outfit outright for around $500, while several auctions have already exceeded bids of $100 with days left to go before their conclusion.

It's worth remembering that this is a purely cosmetic skin, that doesn't offer any gameplay advantages. Of course, we've seen similar demand for costumes in games like Overwatch, but players are investing hundreds of dollars in a game that's only just come out, and may have dropped from the face of the earth in terms of its player count a few months from now.

Of course, a bit part of the reason that the skin is in such high demand is the fact that it's designed by Savini. The special effects maestro is hugely respected among horror circles, not only for his work on the Friday the 13th movies, but also for his contributions to the Night of the Living Dead franchise and various other films.

IllFonic, the developer behind Friday the 13th: The Game, has to be keeping an eye on the popularity of this skin. While it would certainly frustrate players who paid over the odds for the item on eBay, the studio would stand to make a lot of money by offering the costume as paid DLC.

Friday the 13th: The Game is available now for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Source: eBay