Rune Factory 3 Special Announced for Switch, 2023 Release; New Rune Factory Series in Development

During today’s Nintendo Direct broadcast, Marvelous announced Rune Factory 3 Special for Nintendo Switch. A 2023 release window was provided.

The following key features are advertised:

• Restore the Balance Between Two Worlds ‒ Step into the shoes of Micah, a young man with amnesia and the mysterious ability to transform into a wooly, as he searches for a way for humans and monsters to coexist.
• Time-tested RPG Action and Adventure Await ‒ Master swords, spears, hammers, and even magic to take on powerful monsters. Recruit townsfolk and monsters alike to explore treacherous dungeons.
• Sow the Seeds of Your New Life ‒ Take a break from adventuring with activities like farming, fishing, and more. Discover the many varieties of Magic Seeds, which grow into strange crops that aid in Micah’s adventure in exciting ways!
• Find a Beauty for the Beast ‒ Meet 11 lovely bachelorettes, the most in series history! Learn more about them through daily interactions, fall in love, then pop the question and get married. Before Micah knows it, he’ll have a wonderful family to join in on his adventures.

XSEED will be localizing the game in North America, while Marvelous Europe will be handling distribution in the titular region.

Further, a new Rune Factory series was confirmed to be in development.

Rune Factory 5 takes the series to new heights as it opens the world through various means of exploration. Players are able to run through dungeons, fight monsters, and meet new characters, but from a brand new 3D perspective. Typically, these games are played with an over-the-top view of the town and characters.

Returning to the game are relationships. Players will choose a male or female protagonist to be a peacekeeping ranger. Aside from protecting the town, players will need to look after the crops and fish for food. Throughout the adventure, they will meet a handful of NPCs that they can possibly fall in love with and get married to in-game. The game also features a new battle system that is more action-focused and a traveling system with companions.

You can view the game’s announcement trailer below: