If you’re a fan of the deliciously frightening Fatal Frame series, then this news may reduce you to tears. Okay, perhaps not tears, but it may leave you feeling just a bit betrayed. Last year, Japan was lucky enough to receive the Wii-exclusive installment, Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse, published by Nintendo. After this occurred, those of us rabidly following the series had a rather long wait. When would Nintendo announce a release in the States?

We waited and waited, and that day never came. When MTV spoke to Reggie Fils-Aime about the issue, the president of Nintendo of America dashed hopes all across the country when he stated that Nintendo wasn’t responsible for publishing the game. Normally, we wouldn’t think to question such a remark, but it was Nintendo who published the Tecmo/Grasshopper Manufacture title in Japan. So what gives? Since Nintendo has supposedly dropped the ball on Fatal Frame, the question was posed: who will be publishing the game?

Apparently, at this point, no one. IGN contacted Tecmo in hopes that they would give the answer many of us were hoping to hear - that they would be taking over the publishing of the game. Again, hearts were broken. Tecmo has announced that Nintendo does, in fact, hold the rights to publish Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse.

Tecmo gave this statement to IGN:

"Nintendo holds the publishing rights to ’Fatal Frame Wii,’ which was developed by Tecmo LTD. and Grasshopper Manufacture and released in Japan on July 31, 2008. Nintendo of America has since then decided not to publish the title in North America – consequently, the title will not be released in this territory. As the owner of the IP, Tecmo feels very unfortunate that the fans of the series in North America will not have a chance to play the game, but respects the final decision made by Nintendo of America."

A sad day indeed for fans of the series, like myself. It’s particularly perplexing how a game such as Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers can receive a release, but a potentially great horror game slips through without so much as a second look? For now, it looks like your only option, if you’re a Fatal Frame fan, is to import or watch any video you can find online with that longing gaze reserved for a new Zelda title that doesn’t involve trains or spirits.

Thanks, Nintendo. Thanks a lot. I’ll remember this!