Capcom has announced its own branded, pre-paid Visa cards, the first run of which will feature artwork from Street Fighter IV, Resident Evil 5 and Bionic Commando. The Capcom Unity Card will be available online beginning February 17 -- SFIV's launch date, we're guessing not concidentally -- and offer some interesting rewards for their use.

The most immediate benefit will be a 15% discount off purchases made using the Unity card on Capcom's online store. Every dollar added to these "rechargeable" cards will also grant their holders five Capcom Unity Points, which the company says "can be used in a number of different ways" at a revamped Capcom Unity website.

Auctions and raffles are already planned, with Capcom developing "a larger suite of rewards ... above and beyond the standard incentives." According to the announcement, these will range from "exclusive access" to beta programs for upcoming games to the possibility of "being written into a Capcom game or comic book" and -- get this -- potentially landing a spot as an extra in a movie based on Capcom properties. Additional card designs are also in the works (we know: "Where's my Mega Man?").

Most intriguing of all, card holders will be able to send money to other folk's Capcom Unity cards online. We think the timeline will go something like this: February 17, Capcom Unity card launches; February 18, the first underground SFIV fight betting network using the Unity card is formed.