Stardew Valley and Story of Seasons fans take note – Harvest Moon is coming back. Natsume has confirmed that a new title in the series is in development with Harvest Moon: Mad Dash. It will be coming to PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Expect a first look at the game on June 11th at E3 2019.
Apparently, things will be a bit different in terms of gameplay. Natsume president and CEO Hiro Maekawa stated, “We are excited to announce a new Harvest Moon game and reveal a first look at its gameplay and features at E3 2019. Fans might be surprised at what we have in store for Harvest Moon this year.
“This different take on the Harvest Moon experience will let players enjoy the classic features of the series in a new and exciting way!” Natsume will also feature games like Reel Fishing: Road Trip Adventure and Cosmic Defenders at E3 2019 as part of its lineup.
The tale of Harvest Moon has been rather odd over the years. Marvelous AQL developed a couple of Harvest Moon titles for Natsume, including Harvest Moon 3D: A New Beginning. This came under the “Story of Seasons“, which eventually spun-off into its own series, while Natsume released Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley. There was also Harvest Moon: Light of Hope, which had mixed reactions.
The developer behind Harvest Moon: Mad Dash is currently unknown. It remains to be seen if Natsume can restore some faith in the franchise following its many off years, especially with competition like Stardew Valley having gained so much traction. Regardless, we’ll wait until the official reveal at E3 2019 before jumping to any conclusions.