A while ago, we were given some hints as to what to expect in Stardew Valley's 1.6 update. Now, Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has given us a sneak peek of what's actually coming to one of the best indie games ever made.

In a recent post on Twitter, the developer outlined a number of things coming to Stardew Valley. For starters, there's going to be a new "major festival?" as well as some "mini fest?ivals" as well.

There's also going to be more than 100 lines of new dialogue, a new farm type, winter outfits?? ??for villagers, and support for eight people playing multiplayer (on PC, at least). That's not everything either, as the post also says to expect "new secrets and more."

When's the update coming?

Barone has made it quite clear in that past that they don't want to rush the new Stardew Valley update. This is no exception, as the tweet says there's no ?release date yet and things are "still in development."

However, a post on Steam echoing the sneak? pee??k states that version 1.6 is "close to being finished," but testing, polishing, and translations need to be complete before it's ready.

Alongside this, Barone is also working on a new project called Haunted Chocolatier. We still don't know much about this upcoming game, but it appears to feature a similar aesthetic to Stardew Valley.

For now, kee??p an eye out for update 1.6. We can only hope it'll be rolling out ?soon, but the developer has (rightly) said that it will release when it's ready and not a moment before.

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Sheathe the sword and pick up the chef's knife

For as much as the Like a Dragon series has been about its over-the-top action and absurd comedic moments, it's also garnered a following for its mini-games. With that spirit in mind, Like a Dragon: Ishin! is highlighting its farming life mode in a new trailer.

In a mode called "Another Life," Ishin protagonist Ryoma leaves the violence for another day and instead tends to his quiet farm. We see a host of?? different mini-games and activities here, centered around living off the ??land. There's harvesting crops, chopping up veggies and preparing meat through cooking, and yes, even pets.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZJ_dc5gv-k

It's something special seeing a dog do a backflip. This side story seems to be bringing?? a heaping pile of peaceful slice-of-life warmth to the table, and I do enjoy that.

Farming like a dragon

Like a Dragon: Ishin! is the updated version of its historical fiction predecessor, which takes the cast of the Like a Dragon series and has them play out a story in a real, historical setting. Longtime series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu stars?? as Ryoma, and other characters from the series are set to appear as wel??l.

Ishin is one of the Like a Dragon entries that hadn't arrived in the West yet. An official launch on modern consoles makes this a bit easier to get a hold of and play. Plus, now U.S. playe??rs can experience the joy of tending to a farm in 1860s Japan. Of course, there will still be fighting, in??trigue, and plenty of drama. It's nice to have options, though.

If the quiet life appeals to you, you won't need to wait long to experience it either. Like a Dragon: Ishin! arrives for PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC on Februa?ry 21, 2023.

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The wait is finally over

Ooblets is one of those games that I've been following since it was initially announced all th?e way back in 2016, and after all this time, it's finally getting a full release.

The idea behind Ooblets is that it's basically Stardew Valley meets Pokémon, where players will tend to their farm but also collect and take care of little creatures called Ooblets. It's yet another game that mixes two of my favorite gen?res, and the? game's bright colors, soothing music, and chill gameplay are likely going to make for one of the most relaxing gaming experiences of the year.

The Ooblets team at Glumberland excitedly took to Twitter to announce that they're finally ready t?o release version 1.0 of the game, which will be launching on Nintendo Switch, PC (via the Epic Store), Xbo??x One, and Xbox Series X/S on September 1.

They also thanked all the players who played the game in early access since it went live in July of 2020, further assisting the team in getting the game to its official release. Both digital and physical pre-orders are now available -- the latter also comes? with a host of goodies like a map, postcards, and a stick sheet.

//twitter.com/ooblets/status/1560250546870571009

I can't think of a better way to kick off fall than playing a cozy, adorable little game like this on my Switch. It's been really cool to see the game progress through the developmen??t process over the years, and the team's openness on social media gave us an in-depth look at how much work it really takes to make a great game.

There has been some controversy online about how they have handled some situations surrounding the game's development and release, like the announcement that Ooblets would be exclusive to the Epic Game??s Store upon release. Either way, the game still looks amazing, and ??I'll be looking forward to playing it upon release.

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We get a look at more farming, socializing, and one of the town's residents

Square Enix is sharing some more info about its slice-of-life farming RPG Harvestella today. A new blog highlights one of the lo??cals, some of the in-game activities, and the very hometown itself of Nemea.

Nemea is the town in which Harvestella takes place, and life there is governed by five seasons. While we're famili??ar with autumn, winter, spring, and summer, Nemea's fifth season is a bit more dangerous. Quietus arrives between each season, and it carries a deadly dust that keeps residents indoors and destroys crops.

So clearly, figuring out what's up with Quietus is a sizable preoccupation for the player. But in today's Square Enix blog, we get ?a bunch of looks at Nemea, a gorgeous town with flowers constantly in bloom.

Much to do around town

The residents of Nemea also seem like they'll be helping the player out on their quest. One new character introduced today is Istina, a teacher who runs the town's orphanage. She only arrived in Nemea a few years prior to the game's events, but has quickly ingra??tiated herself as the quiet intellectual who reads aloud to the children.

Getting to know the residents of Nemea will be pretty important, it seems, as they'll also be your gateway to new classes. This is an action RPG, after all, and Harvestella will have different job classes available for changing up combat. While the last look spotlighted jobs?? like the Fighter and Mage, today we got a glimpse of another class, Sky La??ncer.

Recruiting a character who has a certain job will unlock it for the protagonist, according to today's update. And alongside gaining combat abilities, getting to know others will raise your standing with them, revealing more of their story and potentially even yielding rewards. An??d honestly, why play a farming RPG if you're not trying to socialize with the townsfolk?

Life on the farm

We also got a look at some of the crops and foods of Harvestella, which have a Vanillaware-grade deliciousness to their illustrations. Plu??s, if farming ever gets old, there's fishing too??.

And on top of the farming and fishing, there's also some industry to be set up. Much like Stardew Valley, Rune Factory, and other farming RPGs, the player rakes in cash through shipping out good??s. You could always send out pure ingredients, or you could bump up your profit margins by installing some machines to create processed goods.

Harvestella is quickly becoming one to watch for me. It's using all the better aspects of the Rune Factory series with a coat of Square Enix RPG paint, and the m??ixt??ure of style and substance has me intrigued.

The wait won't be too long either, as Harvestella will arrive on Nintendo Swit??ch and PC via Steam on November 4.

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Square Enix takes you to the Rune Factory

A new farming game is coming to town this fall. Square Enix's Harvestella is the company's take on the farming life sim RPG, arriving November 4 for PC (via Steam) and Nintendo Swit?ch.

Shown today during the Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase, Harvestella is a new RPG from Square Enix that mixes far?ming, socializing, and RPG action into one big pot.

It immediately gives off some Rune Factory vibes, as it seems to have a simi??????????????????????????lar mix of combat and farming. But it's also got some interesting twists on the?? formula.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Yd3tzhN99E

While there are four seasons—spring, summer, fall, and winter—there's also a season of dea?th c?alled Quietus. During this time, crops wither and lethal dust keeps the denizens of the world indoors.

Planning harvests will have to accommodate for this bizarre mystery, and it look??s like a major drive will be figuring out why the Quietus is happening.

A bountiful harvest

Of course, there's both crop harvesting and livestock raising. Harvestella has many of the familiar farming trappings. It also has combat and an overworld to explore, though, which is where the Rune Factory comparison starts to feel more apt.

The Square Enix blog dives into more detail, noting a job system that will?? let the player character specialize in certain combat forms. Be a Fighter and dive right into the fray. Or play a Mage, and launch magic from afar.? The overworld has new characters to meet, dungeons to explore, and even a submarine.

More and more companies have been trying their hand at a farming life sim. (A Disney-themed one was even in this showcase, too.) What Square Enix has with Harvestella seems pretty darn interesting. A game ??with all the expected features like farming, fighting, and socializing plus some RPG goodness in the myste?ries of the world? Sign me up.

Harvestella arrives for Nintendo Swit??ch and PC on Nov. 4, 2022.

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Add some Steam to the factory

Fantasy farmers will have a new way to mingle and mine in Rune Factory 5 soon. XSEED and Marvelous confirm today that Rune Factory 5 is getting a PC port on July 13.

The latest entry in the Rune Factory series launched earlier this year as a Nintendo Switch exclusive. The Steam version looks to be a similar offering. It's $59.99 for the standard edition (though it's currently on a pre-launch 15% discount) or $69.99 for the Digital Deluxe, which includes the Rune Factory 4 marriage candidates ou??tfit set. Any pre-order also nets two cosmetic outfits and a New Ranger ?Care Package of items in-game.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0Edy6Bx_G8

Farming up a storm

If you're new to Rune Factory, it runs in a similar vein to Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley. The key difference is that Rune Factory puts a bit more of a focus? on c??ombat and exploring dungeons than the actual farming.

Depending on what you're looking for, that can be a positive or negative. In our review of the Switch launch, Rune Factory 5 seemed to be playing the hits, while not necessarily winning over new hearts thanks to falling into some familiar pitfalls. Things can get repetitiv??e and basic ??at times too.

What a PC port might offer is a performance boost, which some might welcome. All-in-all, I was a big fan of Rune Factory 4 but stayed away from the next ?entry after hearing some early impressions of it. I'm hopeful the Steam version gives it enough of a boost to put it back on my radar.

Rune Factory 5 launches for PC via Steam on July 13, 2022.

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What's better than farming? Farming in space!

I'm always a sucker for a good farming sim, and it looks like we'll be getting another good one based on what we're seeing from Xbox's Gaming Showcase. A new title has been announced called Lightyear Frontier �A Fresh Start, which puts a fun spin o??n the classic farming game formula. It's set in space, where players crash land onto a mysterious planet in a mech suit that is perfectly suited for any kind of your farming needs. It looks colorful, creative, and relaxing?, and the trailer even promised some kind of mystery for players to uncover.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzr7uSd-4Bc

Lightyear Frontier ??will be coming to Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One sometime in spring 2023, just in time for planting season. I for one will be looking forward to it!

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Down on Jollity Farm

'Tis the season for bleating about your business successes, and that includes the anime-lovin' boys 'n' gals over at Marvelous. The Japanese publisher has proudly announced that its farming RPG, Rune Factory 5, has achieved an impressive 500,000 shipments and digit??al sales since its 2021 launch.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq1B5qLpL0k

Originally released in Japan last May, before hitting these shores in March of this year, Rune Factory 5 tasks players with carving out a small niche for themselves within the quaint, sunny village of Rigbarth. As with its predecessors, the sequel combines repetitious farming action with world exploration and social interactions to create a cute, custom, slice-of-life adventure for its players. Rune Factory 5 also features a mons?t?er-taming mechanic, allowing ranchers to build up their own menagerie.

While Rune Factory 5 has clearly been something of a success, many critics and fans were left a little disappointed by this latest iteration. While players praised the title's calming nature, eye for exploration, and attractive artwork, criticism was leveled at the title for its in-game visuals. Some in the Rune Factory community also expressed frust??ration at the title's failure to evolve, essentially retreading an almost identical path to the games that came before it.

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Tending crops, exploring dungeons, and even tying the knot

Rune Factory 5 is making its way to North America this year, with more fantasy friends and farming activities in tow. Ahead of the March 22 release date, XS??EED a??nd Marvelous put out a story trailer today, highlighting what exactly you'll be doing in the action RPG.

If you're unfamiliar with Rune Factory, it's an offshoot of the Story of Seasons (or Harvest Moon) franchise. While that series has split in its own way and tends to be more about the farming, Rune Factory generally incorporates more action and RPG elements into the mix. There are dungeons to explore and enemies to fight, alongsid?e the?? fields you'll be tending to.

Of course, there are still the aspects of these slice-of-life games you'd want. Aside from tending to crops and livestock, you can also get to know the townsfolk and help build the town up to new heights. And, as shown in the trailer, you can even get married!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txpu7vGf-lI

I got hooked on Rune Factory 4 when it arrived on the Nintendo 3DS, and that ended up rekindling a love for the farming life sim that roared into a blaze with Stardew Valley. And while the latter has certainly become the dominant force in the farming-focused side of the genre, I'm actually pretty interested in Rune Factory 5 for where the series differs. Some lighthearted action RPG tossed into the fold, alongside its colorful aesthetic and this entry's leap into fully 3D worlds, has me? interested.

Though it's already out in Japan, North American Nintendo Switch owners will get their chance to cultivate crops and relationships in a few months. Rune Factory 5 is set to launch on March 22, 2022.

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Time for a new harvest

Virtual farmers have a lot to be happy about, here at the end of the year. ConcernedApe has announced their next game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is getting farming, and now, Rune Factory 4 Special is headed onto new platforms, including PC.

XSEED had previously confirmed the Switch-exclusive update of Rune Factory 4 would eventually head to other consoles, and today we got a date. On Dec. 7, Rune Factory 4 Special will launch for PC, PlayStation 4, ??and Xbox for $29.99.

This remaster of the Nintendo 3DS farming-life RPG includes extra content like "Newlywed Mode," a Hell-level difficulty, and Another Episode DLC. All of it comes packed? in with t?he digital version.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aDA0K5k8UM

Rune Factory 4, as part of the greater Rune Factory series, puts more of an RPG spin on the usual farming-life activity you'd see in Harvest Moon or Story of Seasons. While?? there are fields to plow, crops to harvest, and townspeople to chat up, there's also a lot of combat.

It was this entry that, back on the Nintendo 3DS, got me into the Rune Factory as a whole. And as much as I love the portabi??lity of my Switch, a PC version of this game sounds pretty tempting. After playing i??t on a handheld the first time around, I'm ready to blast ahead with way too much hardware power.

And luckily, it sounds like Rune Factory 4 Special is a solid update to the original game. While we're a bit wealthier in farming games now than we were back in 2013, there's still plenty of reason to revisit Rune Factory 4, especially as Rune Factory 5 looms on the horizon.

Rune Factory 4 Special arrives digitally for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox con??soles on Dec. 7, 202??1.

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Co-hoperative farming title coming October 19

On one of my frequent circuits of the information superhighway, I came across Reky Studios' incoming Steam release, Bunhouse, and felt obliged t??o share it with all of you. It's been a pretty long week, after all, and we could all use a little of that "Team of Bunnie??s Maintaining a Greenhouse and Small Ownership Business" vibe this morning.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzoDgyTMc8U

As you can see from the trailer above, Bunhouse sees players guide a small team of our hippity-hoppity friends as they develop, build, and maintain a greenhouse, caring and nurturing for a bedrock of various plants and flowers, before marketing the more mature plants for profit, which can then be spent on expansions, new plants, and further improvements to your garden of wonder. Thanks to generous Kickstarter backers, Bunhouse hit multiple stretch goals, adding a selection of fun hats, a range of emotive animations, ??and even a fishing mode to the available activities.

Described by its one-man dev team as a "cute and simple" adventure, Bunhouse has been designed as a stress-free distraction from the hustle and bustle of the everyday world. Players can work on their gardens solo, or team up with friends in relaxing couch co-hop play. There are?? no enemies, no strict competition, just our furry friends, a pleasant setting, some plants that need watering, and a greenhouse full of possibilities.

Oh, and ?you can also learn a variety of yoga poses... Look, I didn't make it... Just go with it.

Bunhouse launches on PC via Steam October 19.

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22 is also the number of frames per second this game appears to be running at

There were so many announcements in today's Nintendo Direct that it's easy to forget everything that was shown off. I mean, when you end with Bayonetta 3, that'll pretty much dominate all sectors of your brain for the next few hours. However, many other upcoming titles also got their moment in the spotlight during the presentation, and that includes Rune Factory 5. The next entry in the beloved farm'n'fight series has been a few years in the making, but thankfully, there are only a few more months fans in North America will have to wait to get their hands on it. As revealed today, the Rune Factory 5 release date is March 22, 2022.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z2xyRBxzwc

Rune Factory 5 will cast players in the role of an amnesiac who's recruited to help protect the land from monsters as a member of SEED. Like with past Rune Factory games, players will split their time between managing their farm, fighting monsters, and wooing one of the 12 available marriage candidates. For the first time in the series, Rune Factory 5 will include a local? co-op option fo??r its cooking gameplay.

If you want to find out more about the localization process for the game, Xseed has started a localization blog over on its website. Rune Factory 5 will launch in North American next year exclusively for Nintendo Switch, but if history is any indication, I wou??ldn't be surprise??d if it shows up on PC before the end of 2022.

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It's harvest day for the citizens of Mineral Town

[Update: XSEED has confirmed that Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town will launch on PS4 and Xbox One in ?Europe October 15, with North America to follow on October 26.]

Publisher XSEED and developer Marvelous! released a wagonful of news related to its cutesy farming franchise Story of Seasons. The news was revealed in part to celebrate the series' 25th anniversary, which dates all the way back to the series birth in 1996, as the genre-defining SNES release Harvest Moon. A cute video recalls every title ?in this beloved s?eries.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIuA51OqY3k

First up, Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town has been given a Japanese release date. This remaster of the 2003 Game Boy Advance classic �already available on Nintendo Switch and PC platforms �will launch in the east on Xbox One on October 27, with a PS4 port to follow on November 25. While a localization date was not confirmed, Marvelous Europe intends to see Friends of Mineral Town arrive??? on western shores within a similar time frame.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU9LED18wBw

The next crop of news refers to another Nintendo Switch release, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town, which will finally see a PC port in just a fortnight's time. The colorful title will hit the Steam platform on September 15, priced at around $40, though pre-order customers can save themselves a few bucks by picking up the title early. Additionally, a special "Expansion Pass ?Set" includes a copy of th??e base game and all incoming DLC for $51. Pre-orders are now live.

And speaking of DLC, Marvelous also revealed that Pioneers of Olive Town is getting a cute crossover with another digital farming adventure, Sakuna: Of Rice & Ruin. As of September 15, players will be able to purchase new skin styled after the adorable harvest goddess herself. Princess Sakuna's Heavenly Garb will be available to purchase until March 2022, when it will be removed from the Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town store.

You can check out the full Japanese Story of Seasons anniversary presentation right here. It seems that regardless of your chosen platform, there will be some chilled-out Story of Seasons action heading?? your way soon. After all, a farmer's work is never done. Just remember to keep those fences built high... Those foxes can? be pretty darn sneaky.

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Who will take home the blue ribbon prize?

Stardew Valley may be a chill game about leaving the hustle and bustle of city life for a more fulfilling rural home, but now, it can also kinda be esports. Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has announced the first annual Stardew Valley Cup, a tournament of Stardew Valley knowledge?? and skills with over $40,000 in prize pool o??n the line.

The event is being hosted in collaboration with YouTube content creator Unsurpassable Z, and no, it's not a straight-up speedrunning race. Rather, the gathered teams of four will be completing challenges designed by Unsurpassable Z, with assigned point values based on how difficult they are to achieve. Each team will have their own farm and be com??peting at the same time.

//twitter.com/ConcernedApe/status/1429114??3364??72027138

What are these challenges? Well, they range from having more gold than any other team or finishing various rooms in the Community Center to very specific challenges. Dancing with an NPC at the Flower Dance is 15 points, for example. Some of these don't stack; dating an NPC, for example, is worth 10 points, but the team can only get those 10 points once. So sorry teams, it's probably best for only one of you to find love in Stardew Valley.

Unsurpassable Z gives a full rundown of the event on his YouTube, including the players competing in the Stardew Valley Cup and the full list of challenges. And while tea?ms are getting an early look at the big list, a few challenges will be added without advance notice, so that should add some extra excitement on competiti??on day.

The Stardew Valley Cup will air on Sept. 4 at 9 a.m. PT, and both Barone and Unsurpassable Z will be commentating over the action on the latter's Twitch channel.

Stardew Valley is already immensely popular, and the teams that have been gathered for the Stardew Valley Cup are a really solid mix of players from different backgrounds in the community at large. This is also a really novel and interesting way to tackle a Stardew Valley competition. Is this esports? I have no i??dea. But it does sound like it'll be a grand ol' time.

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Retreat to a quieter life, now with a Game Pass sub

Announced during today's ID@Xbox stream, farming sim Stardew Valley is going on the Ga?me Pass lineup later this fall. So if anyone out there has seriously not given it a try yet, you're running out of excuses.

While Stardew Valley has already? been available on platforms like PC (via Steam) and Xbox One, this will make the farming life simulator ??available to everyone subbed to Game Pass.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot7uXNQskhs

It's honestly hard for me to think there are folks out there who haven't tried Stardew Valley yet, but if you're one of them, he?re's the? gist. After your grandpa has bequeathed a farm to you, and you—being sick and tired of the rat race—decide to take up the tools and rebuild the farm.

What ensues will probably be hours upon hours of managing crops, conversing with the townsfolk, and generally getting lost in the chill vibes of Stardew Valley. Anyone who's played a Harvest Moon or Rune Factory gets the idea, but this is a game I can pretty much recommend anyone play.

Also announced today were a slew of other titles, some also coming to Game Pass. We got a release window for sketchy adventure RPG Time: The Legend of Wright, as well as some trailers for upcoming ind?ies that are co??????????????????????????ming to Xbox.

If you're looking out for more indie news, tomorrow is Nintendo's turn, as it will be hosting an Indie World Showcase. Otherwise, if you need me, I'll be booting Stardew Valley back up and tending to a new farm, because I've really got the craving to do some farming all of the sud?den.

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