| Harvest Moon | |
| Developer: | Appci Corporation (2014–present) |
| Genre: | Life simulation Farming simulation Role-playing game Puzzle |
| Platforms: | Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S |
| First Release Version: | |
| First Release Date: | 4 November 2014 |
| Latest Release Version: | Harvest Moon: Home Sweet Home |
| Latest Release Date: | 23 August 2024 |
Harvest Moon is a farm simulation role-playing video game series published by Natsume Inc. The main objective of the games is to rebuild a run-down old farm and turn it into a successful one.
Previously, Natsume Inc. published the series Bokujō Monogatari in North America under the title Harvest Moon. In 2014, Marvelous, the developer and original publisher of the Bokujō Monogatari series, decided to have their own American division, Xseed Games, take over North American distribution. However, due to Natsume Inc.'s owning the rights to the Harvest Moon name, the latest titles in the series were rebranded as Story of Seasons, while Natsume Inc. began to produce their own series under the Harvest Moon name.[1]
The name "Harvest Moon" was originally used for the series created by Marvelous known in Japan as . Natsume Inc. initially distributed this series under the name Harvest Moon outside of Japan until 2014. At that time, Natsume Inc. maintained the rights to the name Harvest Moon when Marvelous announced that it would have its subsidiary, Xseed Games, take over North American distribution. Because of this, Xseed began localizing the series in North America under the title Story of Seasons, beginning with the release of the game of the same name.
In 2007, Natsume Inc. took the opportunity to develop their own video game series using the name Harvest Moon in North America and Europe, and in 2014, it released , first farm simulator game in the new series. The resulting spin-off series, at least since Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley, has caused some degree of confusion among fans and video game news sources, due to the game not actually being a part of the same series as the game was titled Harvest Moon before it.[2] [3]