Xseed Games is bringing Rune Factory 4 Special to Nintendo Switch later this year. Also announced was that Rune Factory 5, the next game in the series, is currently in development for the Switch. The fantasy farming-dating-action-RPG series is a spin-off of Harvest Moon.
Rune Factory 4 Special was announced for the Nintendo Switch during yesterday’s Nintendo Direct. The game is expected to come later this year, although no specific release date was given. Rune Factory 4 originally launched on 3DS in 2012, and the new Switch remaster is bringing new content with it as well. New to the Switch version is the “Newlywed Mode,” an additional difficulty level, and new in-game cutscenes.
Rune Factory 5 has been confirmed to be in development and is the first new game in the series since 2012. Original developer Neverland shut down in 2013 as it filed for bankruptcy. The game’s Japanese publisher Marvelous held onto the game’s IP and appears to have a new team making the sequel. No details were given about Rune Factory 5, besides a logo. More information will come in the future, but for now, rest easy knowing the game is coming.
Rune Factory began its life on the Nintendo DS in 2006 with the subtitle “a fantasy Harvest Moon” and has also been described by the game’s producer as “Harvest Moon where you wield a sword.” Much like the games it originated from, Rune Factory games feature farming and marriage. Unlike Harvest Moon, the Rune Factory titles also feature action-based combat and RPG elements. The game is similar to Stardew Valley, except in a fantasy setting.
Rune Factory 4 Special will release more than seven years after its initial 3DS release in Japan. The game puts players in the shoes of the prince or princess of the town Selphia. Players must attract tourists to the town, gain trust from villagers, and work to unlock features of the game. Alongside the town and farm management is a mysterious force found in the dungeons nearby, and a dating simulator. The dating simulator ends when you wed one of the game’s eligible characters, and Special looks to add more to do with your newlywed.
