Harvest Moon: One World will bring some exciting new features. | Source: Nintendo
Japanese developer Natsume has announced a new installment of the popular Harvest Moon games – coming in the Fall of 2020.
This installment, dubbed “One World,” is the most ambitious outing of the long-running farming sim series yet.
Natsume president Hiro Maekawa appears to be making good on his promise for “exciting new projects” for gaming fans.
We are currently working on exciting new projects to continue to make our worldwide fans happy in 2020 and beyond. So, please stay tuned.
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In a press release, Natsume promised that fans of the popular Nintendo Switch series will be delighted by the “new engine” and improved visual style.
What’s in the “new engine”?
Natsume hasn’t given specifics. But based on speculation — there are no crops, and “only an old book gives hints of what once was ” — it sounds like it will be nothing like anyone’s seen before in a farming sims game.
And that’s not all.
Players will get to explore the world for their cash crops, rather than just have a small town filled with them. Who doesn’t want to explore a gorgeous far-off island in between planting their wares?
Fruits and veggies no longer exist, forcing players to travel the world to unlock that mystery and bring produce back.
Maekawa thinks this will be the most popular installment of the farming sim game yet.
Harvest Moon: One World features a brand-new way of exploring Harvest Moon that seasoned players and new generations will both enjoy. Over the decades, Harvest Moon has evolved but has always retained the traditional, family-friendly farming fun that the franchise is known for. The new engine and new graphics will upgrade this experience for 2020. We are so excited to share more about the features of Harvest Moon: One World in the coming months.
When the Stories of Seasons video games first dropped in the late 1990s on the SNES platform, it was the only game of its kind.
Today, though, it faces competition from the likes of the Stardew Valley series, and the Animal Crossing: New Horizons series.
Unlike previous installments, however, this version of Harvest Moon has the potential to “crossover” and become a pop culture phenomenon.
Surely, Natsume is aware that Animal Crossing: New Horizons has surpassed lifetime sales expectations . Natsume is also undoubtedly aware that fashion giants Marc Jacobs and Valentino have engaged in unique partnerships with upcoming games.
Now that more people are home-based than ever before, they’re going to need more things to do. And the gaming industry provides just that.
Natsume may see Harvest Moon as a long-term investment with cross-consumer capabilities.
It’s also possible that the farming sims market is getting over-saturated. Harvest Moon has competition now, and Animal Crossing gives it a true run for its money.
The new Harvest Moon’s success will be highly dependent on the outcome of this nebulous “new engine.” But at the very least, excitement is growing.