[STEAM] After 5 years, the farming sim series that inspired Stardew Valley gets new game and another JRPG spin-off as ConcernedApe dubs them "the best games of my life"

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Story of Seasons (previously known as Harvest Moon outside of Japan), the cozy series that inspired

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, is returning five years after its last original entry with another gem – and a fresh JRPG spin-off for Rune Factory stans, too.

In case you're out of the loop, Story of Seasons – which used to be Harvest Moon, but is now a separate franchise overseas – hasn't seen the release of a new mainline entry since Pioneers of Olive Town back in 2021.

Sure, we've had remakes and all, like the recent (and, yes, good)

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, but a never-before-seen release? It's been five years, y'all. Turns out developer Marvelous Inc has one up its sleeve, however.

New Story of Seasons game teaser

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The team confirms as much in a new live stream over on

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, unveiling a brand-new Story of Seasons with some downright adorable footage. I'm talking bubbly cows, crystal-blue waters, and a charming seaside town I can't wait to learn more about.

That's not all that Marvelous has in the works, though. It showcases Rune Factory 6 as well, the latest entry in Story of Seasons' spin-off JRPG series… and, yep, it looks just as gorgeous.

As excited as I am for both, the most wholesome part of the stream stands out as a message from Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone – the mastermind behind Stardew Valley himself.

"The Harvest Moon and Rune Factory series are the best games of my life and have played a huge part in shaping who I am today," it reads (as translated in-house by GamesRadar+). "Playing Harvest Moon on the SNES as a child it was obvious that it set itself apart from every other game I had played."

eric barone (stardew creator) leaving a message for the story of seasons + rune factory anniversary awwwwtalking about how playing harvest moon on the famicom brought him so much joy and comfort ;w;

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He explains why: "Many games focus on grand adventures, battles, and saving the world, while Harvest Moon presents a very different world, a little life that's centered around farming, the bonds people share, and building a home. It reminds me of the unspoken comforts of slow-paced everyday activities."

That it does, ConcernedApe. That it does – and that's probably why so many of us harbor so much love for it.

We'll likely learn more about both Marvelous projects soon, but for now, I'll be rewatching the live stream over and over again for better glimpses of Story of Seasons' farm animals and Rune Factory 6's chibi little beast-like characters.

Searching for other

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to play? Browse through our roundup of the best

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to hop into while you wait for Story of Seasons and Rune Factory 6.

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