The return of Fatal Frame is up to Nintendo, says series producer

The producer of famed horror series Fatal Frame - known outside of North America as Project Zero - has "never really given up on the idea" of a new game.

But ultimately, says Keisuke Kikuchi in an interview with Nintendo Everything, it is up to IP holder Nintendo.

"Even though I have these hopes, this is a series that Nintendo publishes for us and I only handle the development," said Kikuchi of the possibility of an entirely new release. "So even if I were to say I want to make another game, that doesn't necessarily mean that's what will happen."

Nintendo has been co-owner of the Fatal Frame franchise since 2012 - the series was first introduced by developer Tecmo. The publisher's most recent North American release from the series, Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water, was a digital exclusive for the Wii U.

Kikuchi also responds to a question regarding the possibility of North American remasters of games including Fatal Frame 2 and 4 - the latter of which was never released outside of Japan - stating that he would like to see the series continue alongside the release of the upcoming Fatal Frame movie.

"So I have to admit there is some distance between my personal feelings and ambitions and the feasibility of such projects," said Kikuchi. "Obviously the Hollywood movie is in production and will make it to the western markets, so obviously I’d personally like to bring to our audience not just the movie, but also the games that can accompany it."

"As for Fatal Frame 2 and 4, Nintendo handles the publishing rights, so we don't exactly have a say in that matter," he added. "Another factor would be is that I'm basically overseeing the Gust brand at this moment, and to secure production lines and team members, in the short-term it would also be very difficult, but in the long run I've never really given up the idea. So in the short-term it's not exactly realistic at the moment."

A Hollywood film adaptation has been rumoured since 2003, only to be re-announced years later in 2014. But it still took until this year for any substantial details to come to the surface. In February, director Christopher Gans confirmed he is working on the film adaptation, as well as a new Silent Hill movie.

“I have two horror film projects with [producer] Victor Hadida,” the director said at the time. “I am working on the adaptation of the video game Project Zero. The film will take place in Japan. I especially don’t want to uproot the game from its Japanese haunted house steeting. And we’re also working on a new Silent Hill.”