Rune Factory is a series of fantasy role-playing social simulation games created by Yoshifumi Hashimoto and mainly published by Marvelous. The games are made by Hashimoto's company, Hakama. This company took over from Neverland, which stopped working in 2013. The series began as a separate version of Marvelous' main game series, Story of Seasons (previously called Harvest Moon). References to Story of Seasons were removed starting with the second game in the Rune Factory series, so it became its own series. The first Rune Factory game was released in 2006. The series includes five main games, three additional titles, and many manga adaptations.

Rune Factory keeps the farming and social simulation parts from Story of Seasons but adds fantasy elements and dungeon crawling to the gameplay. Most Rune Factory games involve playing as a hero who has forgotten their past. The hero must save the land from an enemy while discovering their lost memories. The name "Rune Factory" comes from a game feature called "rune points" and runes, which players earn by completing tasks like growing crops, making items, and improving skills.

As of May 2022, Rune Factory games have sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide. Each game in the series has received positive reviews, and the series as a whole has been praised for its open-ended gameplay, world design, and writing. It has also been compared in a positive way to the Story of Seasons games.

Titles

Rune Factory includes seven games that share the same universe. While each game is not tightly connected to the others, they each have their own characters, settings, and stories. The numbers refer more to episodes than to follow-up games. As of 2023, there are five main games in the series, along with two improved versions of earlier games and three spin-offs, including a direct follow-up to the first game.

• Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon is the first game in the series. It was released in Japan on August 24, 2006, for the Nintendo DS. It was created as a special release for the tenth anniversary of the Story of Seasons franchise. The game introduces the world, characters, and background of the series. Set in the mountain town of Kardia, the story follows Raguna, a man who has forgotten his past. He finds a new purpose after agreeing to work on a farm owned by a young woman named Mist. The game was later released in North America on August 14, 2007, in Europe on February 13, 2009, and in Australia on March 12, 2009.

• Rune Factory 2 is the second game in the series. It was released in Japan on January 3, 2008, for the Nintendo DS. The story takes place several years after the first game ends, in the coastal city of Alvarna. The game has two parts: the first follows Kyle, a man connected to a legendary dragon, and the second follows Kyle’s child searching for their missing father. The game was released in North America on November 18, 2008, in Europe on October 8, 2010, and in Australia on November 18, 2010.

• Rune Factory 3 is the third main game in the series. It was released in Japan on October 22, 2009, for the Nintendo DS. The game focuses on the balance between nature and humans, and introduces a conflict between humans and the Univir races. The main character, Micah, learns he is half-monster and hides this from others. His goal is to revive a special tree and rebuild trust between humans and Univir. The game was released in North America on November 9, 2010, and in the UK and Australia on September 30, 2011. An improved version for the Nintendo Switch and PC, called Rune Factory 3 Special, was released in 2023. This version includes better graphics, a harder difficulty, and a fully-voiced feature for a relationship mode.

• Rune Factory 4 is the fourth main game in the series. It was released in Japan on July 19, 2012, for the Nintendo 3DS. Like Rune Factory 2, the game is divided into acts and introduces a new story. The player controls either Lest or Frey, who lands in the town of Selphia after being thrown from an airship. After being saved by a dragon named Ventuswill, the protagonist is mistaken for a member of a royal family and must investigate strange events in nearby dungeons. The game was released in North America on January 24, 2013. After being canceled in Europe and Australia, it was later released as a digital-only game in 2014. An improved version, Rune Factory 4 Special, was released in Japan on July 25, 2019, for the Nintendo Switch. This version includes better graphics, extra scenes, a harder difficulty, and new features using Live2D technology. The game was later released in other regions and included an expansion pack with additional stories. It was also released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows in 2021.

• Rune Factory 5 is the fifth main game in the series. It was released in Japan on May 20, 2021, for the Nintendo Switch. The game takes place in the border town of Rigbarth and follows either Ares or Alice, who joins a group of peacekeepers called Seed. The game is the first in the series to include same-sex marriage. This feature was available in North America and PAL regions from the start and added later in other regions. The game was released in Hong Kong and South Korea on September 2, 2021, and later in North America and PAL regions in 2022. A version for Windows was released worldwide in 2022.

• Rune Factory Frontier, a direct follow-up to the first game, was released in Japan on November 27, 2008, for the Wii. The game follows Raguna as he searches for Mist, who has left Kardia. He discovers a village and learns that a floating island is in danger of falling. The game introduces a new feature called runeys, which are spirits used to improve the land. It was released in North America on March 17, 2009, and in Europe and Australia on April 1, 2010.

• Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny is a spin-off game. It was released in Japan on February 24, 2011, for the PlayStation 3 and Wii. It was called Rune Factory Oceans in Japan and PAL regions. The story follows two friends, Aden and Sonja, who are cursed to share the same body. They meet a golem named Ymir and travel across the ocean to find a cure. The game was released in North America on October 7, 2011, in Europe on May 25, 2012, and in Australia on June 13, 2012. It was only available for PlayStation 3 in PAL regions.

• Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is a spin-off game. It was released on June 5, 2025, for PC, the Nintendo Switch, and the Nintendo Switch 2. The game takes place in the eastern nation of Azuma, which was destroyed by a disaster called the Celestial Collapse. The player, either Subaru or Kaguya, must restore the land and revive nature gods while facing a threat called the Blight. The player also searches for a missing childhood friend.

• Rune Factory 6 is the upcoming sixth main game in the series. Details about the game are not yet known, and no release date has been announced.

Several games in the series have been adapted into manga. A 64-page manga was included with the first main game. A manga series published by DNA Media Comics was released in 2006 to promote the game. It includes stories written by multiple authors. Additional manga based on Rune Factory 2 and Rune Factory Frontier were published in magazines such as A-Station, Dengeki Maoh, Dengeki Nintendo DS, and Monthly Wings. Other

Common elements

The gameplay of the Rune Factory series is similar to the Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons games. For every one second in real life, one minute passes in the game. Players can grow crops using farm equipment that can be improved over time. Unlike Harvest Moon, where players buy animals, Rune Factory requires players to defeat and befriend monsters in dungeons. If a monster is tamed, it can help in battles, create items, or assist with farming. The game’s combat style is similar to action role-playing games.

Like other Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons games, players have a limited amount of stamina called "Rune Points" or "RP." Rune Points decrease when players work on the farm or fight with weapons or skills. Players also have health points, or "HP." Players can attack without using Rune Points by losing some health points. Rune Points can be restored by using Runes made from fully grown crops or potions, while health points can be healed with medicine or healing abilities. The town bathhouse in the game restores both health and Rune Points. If a player runs out of health while working on the farm, they will collapse and be rescued. However, in Rune Factory and Rune Factory 2, dying outside the town causes the game to end. In other games, players cannot die while fighting in caves or ruins.

Crops can be planted in different areas to earn gold. Other activities include mining for metals and minerals, fishing, or collecting food like milk and eggs from tamed monsters. Players can use money and materials to buy upgrades for their home, weapons, and tools.

In addition to open-ended gameplay, the games include a storyline that progresses by exploring dungeons and defeating specific monsters. Like Harvest Moon, the main character’s relationships with villagers improve by talking to them or doing actions they enjoy, such as giving them gifts they like. Some villagers can be married if their relationship improves enough. Some games in the series require the player to get married as part of the story.

Development

Yoshifumi Hashimoto, the producer of the Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons series, described Rune Factory 2 as "Harvest Moon where you wield a sword." Yasuhiro Wada, managing director of Marvelous and creator of Harvest Moon, stated that Rune Factory 2 does not use the Harvest Moon (Bokujō Monogatari) name for its Japanese release. This decision was made to help Rune Factory become its own independent series. Marvelous plans to continue this approach for all future games, including Rune Factory Frontier. However, Natsume Inc. added the subtitle "A Fantasy Harvest Moon" to Rune Factory 2 and Rune Factory 3.

Rune Factory Frontier was first mentioned during an interview with Yasuhiro Wada on June 6, 2007. It was fully introduced on June 4, 2008, in the Japanese video game magazine Famitsu. On July 11, 2008, Marvelous Entertainment USA and Xseed Games announced they would release Rune Factory Frontier in North America. The game was released in North America on March 17, 2009.

Yoshifumi Hashimoto said Rune Factory 5 was expected "at some point in time." In November 2013, Neverland Co. filed for bankruptcy, which raised questions about the future of the series. However, in February 2014, it was reported that the Rune Factory development team was hired by Marvelous AQL and began working on the Nintendo 3DS simulation role-playing game Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven. In February 2019, during the 13.02.19 Nintendo Direct, Rune Factory 5 was confirmed to be in development by Hakama, a new studio founded by Hashimoto. In September 2020, during a Nintendo Direct Mini presentation, the game's release date was set for Spring 2021 in Japan and later worldwide. Another trailer released in October 2020 revealed a limited edition "Premium Box" and confirmed a release date of May 20, 2021, in Japan.

Reception

The Rune Factory series has been popular, with the English publisher Xseed Games calling it their most successful franchise in 2020.

Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon received an 8.4 out of 10 rating from IGN, with reviewer Mark Bozon describing the art style as "amazing" and calling it "the Harvest Moon you've been waiting for." It received a 7 out of 10 from Nintendo Power and a 4 out of 5 from X-Play.

IGN gave Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon an 8.4 out of 10 rating, noting its similarity to the first game in the series.

Rune Factory 5 reached the top of the Nintendo Switch digital sales charts in Japan when it was released.