Good News May Be On The Way For Fatal Frame Fans
Followers of the Fatal Frame series may have something to look forward to in the foreseeable future. A recent interview with Koei Tecmo producer Keisuke Kikuchi teased at a possible continuation of the series. With the Fatal Frame approaching its 20th anniversary next year, the stars are aligning for a reboot or new entry in this beloved horror video game.
During an interview with Famitsu (translation via Gematsu), each interviewee highlighted a keyword they would use to describe the new year. When Kikuchi was approached, he cited the word "Rebuild," and followed up by discussing Fatal Frame. In his response, Kikuchi looked forward to hopefully having new titles for gamers to look forward to in 2021.
"'I'd like to look at what's important and what I love once more, and create a game with a fresh perspective," Kikuchi said. "2021 is also the 20th anniversary of the Fatal Frame series, so I'd like to celebrate it in some way if possible. We're working hard to announce some titles by spring. We're developing a wide range of titles, from those currently under adjustment to those with pending names."
Although it's hard to pinpoint what Kikuchi's response means for the series, this acknowledgement from one of the co-creators of Fatal Frame is still worth something. Using the word "rebuild" and following it up with Fatal Frame could be a hint at a possible reboot of the series, but nothing is set in stone. As of right now, there haven't been any announcements or plans from Koei Tecmo regarding Fatal Frame, so all this talk from Kikuchi should be taken with a grain of salt.
The last Fatal Frame game came out in 2014 exclusively for the Wii U. Titled Maiden of Black Water, this entry in the series received mixed reviews due its clunky control design, subpar story, and overall lack of innovation. Since then, the series has undergone a hiatus with practically zero indication of any development of a new entry. The last major crumb fans received was a 2019 Nintendo Everything interview with Kikuchi when he said he wanted to "make a Fatal Frame on Switch." Since then, it's been radio silence.
This new Famitsu interview may give fans of the Fatal Frame series renewed hope. Although there's still a ton of speculation as to what Kikuchi could mean by using the word "rebuild" and mentioning the series' 20th anniversary, it's still nice to know the game is still in the thoughts of producers at Koei Tecmo. Hopefully this crumb of hope will lead to something brand new for the series that's been arguably more dead than the terrifying ghosts players have come face-to-face with.