Farming simulators may not be the most adrenaline-pumping, action-packed titles in the video game industry, but theyr remain part of a persistently popular genre with successful releases Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons. Harvest Moon was a foundational entry in the farming simulator landscape, helping to inspire the incredibly popular and critically acclaimed Stardew Valley. However, some may be a bit confused about what the difference is between Harvest Moon and the similar-looking Story of Seasons franchises.
Franchise continuity and consistent branding can be vital for long-running series, with developers wanting to make sure that fans of one game can easily access its sequels. However, Harvest Moon hasn't had the smoothest ride in Western markets thanks to some developer changes and rights issues. This may have left players confused when trying to work out how it's connected to Story of Seasons, but what's important to remember is that the franchise originally called Harvest Moon is Story of Seasons in the modern day.
Harvest Moon's Connection To Story of Seasons
From the outside, it can be hard to decipher just what the difference is between the charming farming simulator series Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons, and fans could be forgiven for thinking that they were the same thing. Both franchises are actually versions of the Japanese game Bokujou Monogatari, which was originally translated and released in Western markets by publisher Natsume under the name Harvest Moon.
However, things got complicated when Harvest Moon's developer parted ways with Natsume, effectively ending the series as players knew it. Natsume retained the rights to the Harvest Moon name, and continued producing its own version of the games with Appci Corporation as a new developer. The Harvest Moon brand continued, but the formula that fans were familiar with was rebranded as Story of Seasons, which is now published by Xseed Games. To look at it simply, Harvest Moon a new series with a name that gamers might recognize more easily, whereas Story of Seasons is the older franchise with a new name.
The Future of The Farming Simulation Franchises
Both franchises continue to release games, and with new titles launching around the same time last year it's understandable why players might be confused. Name changes and publishing rights aside, both Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons seem like they're aiming to keep producing farming-focused titles, as Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town and Harvest Moon: One World proved in 2021.
On the surface, fans may think these games are interchangeable, but there are lots of differences between the two farming simulators. The newer Harvest Moon games have tried to differentiate themselves with new characters, and even introduced exotic animals. By contrast, Story of Seasons can rely on more traditional aspects of the series based on the older Harvest Moon games, and will likely appeal more to die-hard fans.
The upcoming Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life will be a 2023 remake of Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life, creating another connection between the two franchises and bringing a lot of the original features back alongside a slew of welcome changes. What's next for Natsume's ongoing Harvest Moon series remains to be seen, but it's likely the publisher will keep relying on this popular brand name for as long as possible.
Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life launches summer 2023 for Nintendo Switch.