Microsoft plays distributor to Tecmo's latest

Tecmo's Project Zero will be distributed in Europe by Microsoft Game Studios, Microsoft has announced. This is the third high profile Xbox title in recent weeks to receive this treatment, with Shenmue II, Toe Jam & Earl III: Mission to Mars and the awesome Steel Battalion already on the platform holder's books.

Tecmo and Microsoft have enjoyed a close relationship ever since the birth of the console, and MS snapped up the rights to Tecmo's Xbox port of Project Zero (or Fatal Frame overseas) as soon as it could. We've been told to expect a Q2 2003 release.

Microsoft's Michel Cassius was notably "very excited", going on to say that the company is "very pleased". Meanwhile, Tecmo's Isamu Fukada is also "very pleased", and comments: "We received a lot of great feedback from fans, which we were able to utilise in this new version of Project Zero. With all of the new features we have added, Xbox fans can now enjoy an even scarier world in Project Zero."

Rob went mad when we let him loose on Project Zero (PS2) late last year, and stopped just short of quitting his job to play it forever. You can read his thoughts on it here.