Nintendo Switch Is Getting an Exclusive New Harvest Moon Game

It seems like the timing is perfect for laid-back life sim games. Given the massive success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Nintendo Switch owners are clearly looking for games they can relax with. As such, fans of games like New Horizons will be happy to know that Harvest Moon: One World will appear exclusively on Nintendo Switch later this year! Developed by Natsume and published by Rising Star Games, the title sounds like it could be a bit of a departure for the series, while still featuring the type of atmosphere that fans have embraced since the franchise first debuted.

According to Natsume, One World will significantly expand the scope of the Harvest Moon series. In the game, fruits and vegetables such as cabbage, strawberries, and tomatoes have ceased to exist. The lone record of their existence is a mysterious old book, which sets players on a new quest. While previous entries in the series have featured smaller areas, One World will task players with exploring various locales around the world, including beaches, snow-covered mountains, and more. No footage of the game has been revealed thus far, but the title will apparently feature an all-new engine.

Strangely enough, Nintendo Switch fans will have multiple farming sims to choose from in the near future. This summer, Marvelous and XSEED Games will release Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town, which is a remake of one of the most popular Harvest Moon games. Natsume initially released Marvelous’ farming sims under the Harvest Moon banner, but in 2012, Marvelous decided to start publishing the series in North America through their subsidiary, XSEED. Natsume, however, owns the Harvest Moon name, so it began developing its own games under that name, while XSEED was forced to come up with a new title for its farming sims. Some poor choices were batted around, but the publisher eventually settled on Story of Seasons.

With both games set to release this year, it will be interesting to see if either game will be able to appeal to the Nintendo Switch audience the way that Animal Crossing: New Horizons has. With gamers looking for more escapism, there has never been a better time for games like Harvest Moon: One World. The title is tentatively set to release this fall.

Are you interested in checking out Harvest Moon: One World? Are you looking for more experiences like Animal Crossing: New Horizons? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!