![Project Zero](https://images.pushsquare.com/559030f20ae1a/project-zero.900x.jpg)
Fatal Frame producer Keisuke Kikuchi is pinning his hopes of a new entry in the series being produced on the upcoming re-release of Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water. Should this new version perform well saleswise, he "would love to do a new title". It releases for PlayStation 5 and PS4 digitally on 28th October 2021.
Famitsu popped the question to Kikuchi of whether the horror franchise could receive new entries if Maiden of Black Water is well received. He responded: "That’s what I’m hoping. We’re releasing this game to commemorate the series' 20th anniversary, and we’re hoping a lot of fans will take the opportunity to play the game. We’d love this to lead to a new title." The PS5 and PS4 ports feature a new Photo Mode, costumes, accessories, and an extra story sequence.
While the Fatal Frame series (also known as Project Zero in Europe and Australia) has always been synonymous with PlayStation, this re-release of the fifth mainline instalment feels like its grand return after almost 16 years. And if you want it to continue, you now know what to do. Will you be picking up Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water on PS5 or PS4 to support the franchise? Clean your camera lens in the comments below.
[source ryokutya2089.com, via nintendoeverything.com]
Comments 48
An instabuy for me.
I wouldn't say it's synonymous with PlayStation. The original games were released on Xbox and more recently the franchise has been exclusive to Nintendo platforms.
I'm still slightly confused as to why this is appearing on anything other than the Switch as I'm sure Nintendo now owns the IP.
I’ll certainly be getting this. I liked what I played on PS2.
Loved the ps2 versions. It was a unique take on horror. I'll buy if the price is decent.
Insta buy for sure, absolutely loved the originals back in the day, the dear the enemy's the story behind them, top class stuff
When will Maiden be up for pre-order on PS Store I'm getting really frustrated now I just want to buy it and hopefully this does do well and get the support it deserves. And hopefully it remains multiplat because as a mega fan of this series personally I think Nintendo's treatment of it has been nothing short of disgusting
Yes, i can't wait to get my magic camera out.
I played this on Wii U. It didn't review well but I loved it.
Already preordered from Play Asia. Problem is it's only the PS4 physical, so hopefully there is a free PS5 upgrade path.
What I wished they'd of asked him is whether all the other Fatal Frame games could also come as remasters too.
Always love it when a dev treats you to buy their quick port if you ever want to see another entry.
Wasn't this the worst game in the series anyway?
@Snake_V5 A remaster of the whole series for modern platforms would surely create enough interest in a new release.
I’m actually looking forward to this game. My first play through with this series.
@__jamiie it has never been synomous for PlayStation. Xbox versions have more content than the PlayStation versions and that makes it better than it. Also recent entries were Nintendo exclusive.
I believe Nintendo relented only on this particular title. It does NOT mean other games will come to other platforms.
Also even if a sequel does happen, there is a chance it will be Nintendo exclusive. Ofc it all depends on how Maiden will sell
@Snake_V5 for Deep Crimson Butterfly and Mask of the Lunar Eclipse, that is up to Nintendo for that as they hold the publishing rights to those games. They relented on Maiden of Black Water but it doesn’t mean they will relent for other titles
Yes! Fatal Frame games are incredible! Playing Fatal Frame 2 should be required at schools. It's brilliant, and every FF game after uses the established formula with great success.
Currently playing Fatal Frame 2 on my Playstation 2 . easily one of my favourite horror games of all time . Maiden of Black Water is the weakest game in the series but I am absolutely going to buy it when it comes out .
@__jamiie It is co-owned by Koei Tecmo and Nintendo, not just Nintendo. Which is different...
@Sebatrox Asian.
I first played Project Zero 2 on the original Xbox and thought it was a really great horror game, one of the best I've ever played. Part of the reason I bought a Wii was anticipating the 4th game, then they never released it outside Japan (cheers, Nintendo). They did release the remake of 2 on Wii in Europe, but it wasn't nearly as good as the original Xbox version I'd played, in my opinion. I've meant to play the 3rd game for years but it never got released on PS3 digitally in Europe. This (5th proper sequel) didn't review that well, and after playing the remake of the 2nd game my expectations are not that high. Sony should have got the exclusive PS2 3rd game on PS4 as I hear its really good.
@anoyonmus It’s not the “Publishing Rights” they hold as Crimson Butterfly in its OG form never appeared on a Nintendo Platform. Rather the remake. In other words, It was ownership like @rpg2000 mentioned.
However after the E3, the trailers were scrubbed, and Nintendo’s name doesn’t appear on any but the Nintendo one.That tells me that’s it’s probably more like The Wonderful 101 situation where they got the “ownership” rights back… quietly.
Here is the “new” trailer-
https://youtu.be/Iqk_krIaAog
You can see Nintendo has been scrubbed off it.
For more Project Zero I’ll buy as many copies as they need me to, easily one of my favourite series. Really, really hope this does well.
BTW, anyone know if it’s getting a physical release or just digital? Buying either way but want to preorder.
@SegaBlueSky Unfortunately only Japan is getting a physical release. You can still buy it over PlayAsia and have english VA.
Hoping the remaster sells well enough, I won't be buying until it's $15.
I hope it becomes successful, but it would have been better if they remastered Fatal Frame 2 since 5 is apparently the weakest(Can't say that it is cause I haven't played it yet) or maybe even do remaster for the entire trilogy. So if Fatal Frame 5 isn't successful it won't be surprising.
@Nepp67 Ah, fair enough. Tempting but probably shows more support if I buy the digital version domestically rather than import. Looks like there’s a digital deluxe as well so I’ll probably go for that.
@__jamiie Actually, they co-own it. They don't own it outright. It's a partnership between them and KoeiTecmo.
And we all want a new one. maiden of Blackwater is a good game, it was just stuck on a dead console.
I wonder why they don't remaster the PS2 games? They're not easily available without a PS3, and it'd probably generate a lot more interest than a full price Wii U port.
Still buying, of course (on Switch). I love this series.
@Ralizah well as @AndyKazama it’s “stuck on a dead platform”. A lot of Wii U games suffered from this issue got a full price Switch port and sold significantly better. There are a few that didn’t but given how terrible the WiiU sold most people consider anything coming off that platform as “fresh to them. This also probably requires the least amount of work to make look good by modern standards.
I mean look at how well Skyward Sword is selling and that wouldn’t have been a lot of people’s choice for “remastered” Zelda game. (And that was on the Wii).
@mousieone I mean, it would be fresh to 95% of the market, considering there were only... what... 13 million Wii U owners?
Wii U games that sell better on Switch tend to have mainstream appeal. The reason they didn't sell more copies than they did on Wii U is because of the unpopularity of that console. Comparatively, Fatal Frame is niche, and it probably sold fairly well within that niche.
Sales of games like Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore and the Bayonetta Switch ports offer a better comparison, I believe, because they're also niche releases. And neither Bayo 1&2 nor TMS managed to sell significantly better than they did on Wii U, because the niche that wanted those games had already purchased them.
Selling this digital-only and at full price were dumb moves. They're just repeating the mistakes they did with the original game. Going multiplat was a good move, since they'll be able to eke out sales on other platforms as well, but other than maybe PC, I'm not expecting this to make a splash anywhere. Maybe there's a large well of disaffected Playstation-only Fatal Frame fans who will jump on this, but I wouldn't count on that being the case.
@Ralizah Oh I don’t disagree about about anything you side and especially not about the digital only, but it’s like TMS. They still used the censored version. Repeating the same mistakes. It sold horribly, but business people don’t always look at digital being a detractor. (Nor censorship). Especially with more and more sales being digital. Doki Doki sold 500k digital only. That’s a “niche” horror game. I wouldn’t compare the two,but I can see where it would be made.
( Bayo isn’t a fair comparison because the first one wasn’t just on the WiiU there in lies the issue.)
That said I really don’t see any other Halloween style games launching in October; so I think it might swing some good sales at least enough to maybe remaster something else.
@Ralizah There’s also marketing. I’m aware of what fatal frame is because of a demo disk that came with the PS2.
I was one of those 13 million WiiU owners but wasn’t aware of this game released.
Now it’s returning to PlayStation i’m aware of it again thanks to push square. Which bodes well for them getting the news that it exists out this time.
WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!? A FATAL FRAME GAME IS RELEASING ON PS4/5?!?!?!?!? WHAAAAT?!? OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG this is the biggest news EVER! IM... Im... Just..... Oh wow. FF is one of my all time favorite game franchises but i was always a ps guy so have missed out for the last 2 decades
@mousieone and what if the source code for the original PS2 version is lost?
Also the producer said that any new entry is up to Nintendo. For DCB and 4, it’s Nintendo’s decision.
Just because they relented for Maiden doesn’t mean they will relent for other titles. As far as I am concerned, the series is still co owned by KT and Nintendo until something is announced.
It’s like saying “oh since the Wonderful 101 came to PS4 and PC, Bayonetta 2 and 3 will come too”.
@Ralizah there is a chance the source code got lost for the ps2 versions of the games.
@Gmork___ to be fair, you joined in a bit late. This remaster was announced WAYYYYYY back in June in Nintendo’s E3 direct
@anoyonmus it’s not like saying that. What!?! That makes no sense. It’s well documented that a few IPs were co-owned by Nintendo and the dev got the rights back. The Wonderful 101 is now owned solely by Platinum again. I’m not sure what the specifics were around Fatal Frame but it’s entirely possible and likely KT got the rights back like Platinum did for The Wonderful 101. But Bayo is 100% owned by Nintendo. Platinum can’t buy out Nintendo for them.
Anyway the conversation people are referencing is old. Like I said it’s most likely they either have gotten 100% ownership back or the process of doing so.
Also Nintendo doesn’t “relent” publishing rights ever as far as I know. Platinum was very clear, they had to get the rights back to publish elsewhere. Nintendo doesn’t “relent”.
@mousieone we don’t know for certain what ever happened.
What I meant by relent is that Nintendo was fine with it going multiplatform. There was an article a few years back saying that Nintendo was fine with the Wonderful 101 going multiplatform.
If this remaster doesn’t sell well, FF is back on the shelves for another 7 years.
@Ralizah I am getting this on switch too. Now if only the switch version has a capability to move the handheld around like a camera….
Also we don’t even know if it is full price. There is no price for the switch version on the Eshop. And the remaster isn’t available on other stores
@anoyonmus yeah I get that and yes we don’t know the details of the rights. However, the case of Wonderful 101 is very specific. And really given what we’ve seen in the past Nintendo isn’t really okay with publishing their games elsewhere.
Also, the fact that KT scrubbed Nintendo off the trailers suggests that Nintendo’s control of the title must be very limited.
@anoyonmus That's fair. We don't actually know the price point yet. I was mistaken in that regard.
@mousieone DDLC is $14.99, an entirely different genre, and enjoyed years of exposure thanks to the success of its free PC version. I don't think it's comparable, IMO. Fatal Frame is extremely Japanese, has never enjoyed much in the way of popularity, and traditional survival horror experiences struggling to sell in general is why so many companies transitioned away from it over time.
As for Bayo, the first game was bundled with the sequel on both consoles, so I think it fits. I'm not considering them in isolation.
@mousieone they scrubbed Nintendo off from recent trailers is because it’s going multiplatform. Nintendo is mentioned in the copyright description on the official website. It’s only this particular title they gave the publishing rights back
@mousieone I am blaming the reputation of the Wii U on Tecmo Koei probably not green lighting a sequel due to poor sales.
It also doesn't help that physical was big at the time and the EU physical run was severely limited. (Fortunately I own it.)
I see great success given how Blackwater is coming to every console now and a digital only game can sell well too.
We need more horror games like Fatal Frame.
Bought the physical PS4 asain release with english so cant wait.
@AndyKazama I guess we’ll see how it goes. Hopefully even though niche this will trigger more interest in the series. I believe it’s possible but it’s hard to say.
@anoyonmus that’s not how copyright works. It’s super illegal not to credit the owner. That’s why at the end of every new Smash character trailer they have copyright a paragraph long.
I want fatal frame games....
In VR😱
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...