Recently, Fatal Frame producer Keisuke Kikuchi connected with NintendoEverything to discuss the chilling photography-based horror franchise. With no new entries in the series released since 2014’s Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water for the Nintendo Wii U, fans were eager to hear if a new entry, port or remaster might be on the horizon.
However, Kikuchi’s answers were unfortunately rather vague. Regarding the possibility of a new entry in the franchise, he said:
“This is a series that Nintendo publishes for us and I only handle the development. So even if I were to say I want to make another game, that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what will happen.”
The interviewer mentioned that Western fans have been deprived of several titles in the Fatal Frame series. Neither the fourth entry, Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse, nor the Wii remake of the second, Fatal Frame: Crimson Butterfly, were ever released in America, although Europe did eventually see the latter. While Kikuchi acknowledged fans’ frustration, he was once again unable to make any promises.
Explained Kikuchi: “As for Fatal Frame 2 and 4, Nintendo handles the publishing rights, so we don’t exactly have a say in that matter.”
The producer did reference the possible hope of a game port or remaster associated with the upcoming release of the Fatal Frame live-action movie for Western audiences. Kikuchi stated that he “would personally like to bring to our audience not just the movie, but the games that can accompany it”.
Kikuchi also cited his own busy schedule as a possible roadblock. He is currently working with Gust Co. Ltd on the development of the Fairy Tale role-playing game, which is expected to release later this year.
Fatal Frame, known in Japan as Project Zero, has long been praised for its chilling setting and unique gameplay, in which players use a mystical “Camera Obscura” to photograph a variety of ghosts. It became popular enough that Yuri Kozukata, one of the protagonists of The Maiden of Black Water, debuted as an Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Nintendo Switch. Yuri uses her Camera Obscura to take photos of the players, which stuns and damages them.
Hopefully, Kikuchi’s — and the fans — dreams can come true and we can someday see Nintendo Switch ports of Fatal Frame titles. Unfortunately, for now, nothing is set in stone — or would that be “nothing’s caught on film”?
Which Fatal Frame game would you most like to see come to Nintendo Switch? Let us know!
