Rune Factory
Farming meets dungeon crawling in a fantasy world.
Rune Factory is a series of fantasy role-playing games that blend social simulation with dungeon exploration, created by Yoshifumi Hashimoto and mostly published by Marvelous. Development shifted to Hashimoto's studio Hakama after Neverland, the original developer, shut down in 2013. The franchise started as a spin-off of Marvelous' flagship Story of Seasons series (once called Harvest Moon), but references to Story of Seasons were dropped from the second game onward to establish Rune Factory as its own brand. The first game came out in 2006, and since then the property has grown to include five main-series titles, three spin-offs, and several manga adaptations.
The core gameplay keeps the farming and relationship-building elements of Story of Seasons but places them in a fantasy world, adding dungeon crawling to the mix. Most games follow an amnesiac hero who must save the land from an evil threat while recovering lost memories. The series' name comes from "rune points" and runes, a recurring mechanic earned through tasks like growing crops, crafting items, and leveling up skills.
By May 2022, the Rune Factory series had shipped over 1.5 million copies worldwide. Individual entries have generally received positive reviews, with the series praised for its open-ended gameplay, world design, and writing, and often compared favorably to the Story of Seasons games.
The franchise includes seven games set in a shared universe, though each entry has its own characters, setting, and story, making the numbers more like episodes than direct sequels. As of 2023, there are five numbered main games, two enhanced ports, and three spin-offs, including a direct sequel to the first title.
The first game, *Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon*, launched in Japan on August 24, 2006, for the Nintendo DS. It was created as a spin-off for Story of Seasons' tenth anniversary and introduced the series' nations, races, and lore. Set in the mountain town of Kardia, it follows Raguna, an amnesiac who starts working on a farm owned by a woman named Mist. It reached North America on August 14, 2007, Europe on February 13, 2009, and Australia on March 12, 2009.
*Rune Factory 2* arrived in Japan on January 3, 2008, for the Nintendo DS. Taking place years after the first game, it is set in the coastal city of Alvarna. The story splits into two parts: the first follows Kyle, a man tied
- creator
- Yoshifumi Hashimoto
- publisher
- Marvelous
- developer
- Hakama (formerly Neverland)
- first_release
- 2006
- genre
- Fantasy role-playing social simulation
- platforms
- Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, Wii, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, Nintendo Switch 2
- total_sales
- Over 1.5 million copies worldwide as of May 2022
Lore & Background
The Rune Factory series began as a spin-off of the Story of Seasons franchise for its tenth anniversary, with the first game, Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon, released in Japan on August 24, 2006 for the Nintendo DS. The Story of Seasons references were dropped starting with the second installment to establish the series as its own entity. The games are developed by Hashimoto's studio Hakama, taking over from Neverland after they ceased operations in 2013.
The basic premise of most Rune Factory games involves playing as a hero who has lost their memory but must save the land from an evil enemy while uncovering their memories. The title refers to the recurring mechanic of 'rune points' and runes earned by tasks such as growing crops, crafting items, and leveling up skills. The series spans five main-series games, three spin-off titles, and numerous manga adaptations, all set in the same shared universe with loose connections between entries.
Reader's Guide
Rune Factory is significant for blending the farming and social simulation elements of Story of Seasons with fantasy role-playing and dungeon crawling, creating a unique hybrid genre. The series has been lauded for its open-ended gameplay, world design, and writing, and has been favorably compared to its parent franchise. As of May 2022, it has shipped more than 1.5 million copies worldwide. The series introduced same-sex marriage in Rune Factory 5, the first main-series game to do so. Enhanced ports such as Rune Factory 3 Special and Rune Factory 4 Special have kept the franchise relevant, with the latter receiving an expansion pack and additional downloadable content. The upcoming Rune Factory 6 and the spin-off Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma (released in 2025) indicate continued development of the series.
Did You Know?
- The series began as a spin-off of Story of Seasons for its tenth anniversary.
- Rune Factory 5 was the first main-series game to include same-sex marriage.
- The series has shipped over 1.5 million copies worldwide as of May 2022.
- Rune Factory Frontier is a direct sequel to the first game.
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