Thank God it’s not set in Africa.

After what seemed like years of murmurs and rumbling (as well as a leaked trailer, which was as much proof as anyone really needed), Capcom today confirmed that its other* zombie franchise will be getting a multiplatform sequel.  This time around, you’ll be sawing, hacking, and lawn-mowering your way through the casinos of Fortune City.

From the screenshots, it looks like the game is getting more than just a locale change, as Dead Rising‘s original protagonist Frank West is conspicuously absent.  If the Wii’s Chop Till You Drop edition of the original game is any indication, players should expect a much friendlier save system, as well as overhauled companion AI and a slew of new weapons.  The new save system should have the positive side effect of reducing internet game complaint threads by 15%, which amounts to something in the neighborhood of a trillion threads.

Developing the sequel in partnership with Blue Castle Games (The BIGS, Major League Baseball 2K8), Capcom promises a deluge of Dead Rising 2 details in the coming weeks.

* Hint: Dead Rising is the one without the embarrassing racial stereotypes