Natsume’s ‘Harvest Moon’ Franchise Celebrates Its 15th Year
Natsume’s long-running Harvest Moon series has officially turned 15-years-old, according to Digital Trends. For those who have been dabbling in the farming game since its debut in 1996, the fact that the game has been around for a decade-and-a-half is certainly a cause for concern. Not only is Harvest Moon getting older, the people who have been playing since the mid-90s are aging rapidly, as well. As if we needed another reminder.
In order to properly celebrate Harvest Moon’s 15th birthday, the folks at Natsume are releasing several of the older incarnations of the game across a number of digital platforms. For example, a special edition of Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon is slated to arrive in the Playstation Network Store on October 2. Although specifics dates have not been released as of this writing, older Harvest Moon titles will reportedly be released in the near future.
“We’re so pleased to present many of our classic Harvest Moon titles on the PlayStation Network, Vita, and the Nintendo 3DS eShop throughout 2012. Whether you’ve played our full Harvest Moon library before or are a newcomer to the series, it’s amazing to look back and see how Harvest Moon has evolved over the last 15 years,” Natsume president and CEO Hiro Maekawa explained.
Computer and Video Games reports that Harvest Moon: A New Life will be available for the Nintendo 3DS on November 9. Should you decide to pre-order the title from the official Natsume store, you’ll receive a nifty plush yak for your troubles. If you spring for the 15th Anniversary Edition version of the game, you’ll receive a 12-inch plush cow.
Not surprisingly, executives at Natsume is more than a little excited about the continued popularity of the Harvest Moon franchise. “It’s even more thrilling for us to see how popular the series is today — pre-orders for the Anniversary Edition of ‘Harvest Moon: A New Beginning’ have been incredible!” the CEO explained.
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