NOTE: This article is from the oprainfall Campaign Hub, written by an independent campaign, and hosted on the oprainfall website. The opinions herein may not represent the opinions of oprainfall.
Hello, everyone at Operation Rainfall. After a long break, I figured it’s time for me to say something and break the silence. Firstly, I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for lending your support here at Operation Rainfall, and for allowing Operation Zero to be a part of the Campaign Hub. I am forever grateful to you all, for the connections we built and the friendships forged through the common bond of a love for video games and a love for all things Nintendo.
I learned so much from the wonderful staff here at Operation Rainfall, experiences that I certainly will never forget. It was amazing to be a part of it all during the initial campaigning phase for Xenoblade Chronicles, a game that has since gone on to achieve many accolades throughout the gaming community as a whole. To say Operation Rainfall’s effect on campaigning was groundbreaking would be the understatement of the century. I know that it laid the blueprint for my group, Operation Zero, which has grown into its own little community too.
Looking back on my time running it, it’s downright amazing that it’s been three years since I was given the keys to Operation Zero. Throughout that time, I personally endured heartbreak, scorn, hatred, you name it. But on the flip-side, I also had praise and accolades thrown at me, which absolutely blew my mind because I was only doing this for the love of all things Fatal Frame. It’s pretty amazing how far the whole thing has come, from a start-out group of only 13 members back in late 2012 to over 3100 members and still rising today. To be the person that spearheaded it all is nothing short of amazing.
While I admit to failing in the original goal, which was to bring the Fatal Frame 2 Wii remake to North America, I feel in a way Operation Zero succeeded even back then because during the time frame we were campaigning for the remake, a sense of unity and belonging was born. People from all over the world began coming together for the love of the franchise. Even during the time when we were not campaigning and waiting for the next hint of a Fatal Frame title, the group was still somehow increasing in number. That unity carried over into the campaign for the newest entry in the franchise.
I will say that it was not easy enduring all the naysaying and the mockeries thrown at me by those who were against the whole thing. But even when others were beginning to lose hope, I persevered and encouraged others to do the same. It wasn’t until Tomonobu Itagaki, Valhalla Studios’ founder and chief creative director, dropped a hint that a true sense of hope was given to everyone else. It all led up to that fateful Nintendo Direct a few days ago, where for the first time in a decade, it was confirmed that a new Fatal Frame game would actually see the light of day in the US.
To say this is surreal is a massive understatement; I’m still in absolute shock over this myself. A part of me knew it was going to happen, but the cynical part of me was also saying “No way dude, it isn’t happening.” In a way, I am glad that cynical part of me existed, because when the announcement was made, it made the feeling of triumph that much more intense.
I am forever grateful to have been given the keys to Operation Zero that fateful day back in 2012, and to have been blessed with the opportunities that I’ve had all the way to this day. I seriously can’t thank everyone enough for those opportunities, the camaraderie that was formed, and the fact that we all worked together for the common love of the franchise. In the end, it’s safe to say it was absolutely worth the time invested into this whole thing.
Not only did Operation Zero bring together a community of people who all shared a common love of the franchise, but being the leader of it changed me as a person as well. When I first began running it, I was saddled in debt, I had just failed an automotive training program, and I was still trying to figure out my path in life. I’ve since paid off that debt with the help of my best friend of over 28 years, and I am back in school again on my way to pursuing a career in journalism with my ultimate goal being to become a video games journalist.
To say this franchise changed me as a person would be an understatement. Anytime I get the chance to, I always talk about the series and about how unique and groundbreaking it truly is for its unique take on a battle system. I sometimes lamented on how it’s been forever in a day since the last installment saw the light of day in the US. But that is about to change when this newest one hits later on this year.
But our work definitely isn’t done by a long shot. No way, if anything Operation Zero’s focus has changed from campaigning for the game to promoting the game and enticing people to check out the franchise — either for the first time or to come back to it after a long time away from it. We will gladly help ensure the future of the franchise both here in the US and abroad in Europe too, doing whatever it takes to ensure that it sells — and sells well. Nintendo has finally given us a golden opportunity to prove that this franchise is viable in both territories. I say let’s do our part and make it so.
