We’re reliving the Japanese horror renaissance from the early ’00s, minus all those years of console exclusivity. During today’s Japan-focused State of Play, Koei Tecmo announced that Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake will launch on March 12, 2026.
That’s excellent news for the folks who spent 1999 through 2005 jumping between numbered Silent Hill, Resident Evil, and Fatal Frame games, long before all three series took breaks with spin-offs or went quiet. 2012 marks the last time Japan’s horror trio released something more significant than a remaster within the same six months—the year Resident Evil 6, Silent Hill: Downpour, and the Wii-exclusive Fatal Frame 2 remake launched.
“The tension from the game from waiting for the ghosts to get closer and closer, then taking the photo at the last second,” said Shibata. “So we preserved this aspect while introducing new elements such as zooming and focusing as if you’re operating an actual camera. We have also included filters, like those found on cameras.”
Shibata also highlighted how those filters “affect what you see,” so swapping between them and experimenting may lead to helpful advantages in battle or exploration—all new tools we didn’t have before. I’m pretty sure Fatal Frame 2’s ‘Woman in Box’ is why I was so afraid of the dark even as I got into high school, so I’m not sure I need any new and creative ways to see her, but I’ll take it.
The Steam page describes Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake as a “complete overhaul” of the 2003 game, following twin sisters Mio and Mayu Amakura through Minakami Village. To protect themselves from the angry spirits trapped there, the girls use the Camera Obscura to exorcise ghosts and find otherworldy secrets.
I just started Silent Hill f again, and I’m desperately trying to finish it and all of the other 2025 bangers I missed before February kicks down my door with Resident Evil Requiem. Now you’re telling me one of my all-time horror favorites is releasing a remake next month? Fine. It’s going on the list. I’ll carry this burden for us.
