The Rune Factory series was originally a spin off of Harvest Moon, now called Story of Seasons, that went on to have its own life outside the original game series. In fact by its second installment the Harvest Moon references were dropped, the series coming into its own. Initially envisioned as a Harvest Moon social simulator in a fantasy setting, with dungeon crawling added on top. Rune points, which give the game their name, are earned through progressing the development of the settlement, finishing tasks, etc. and which are in turn used for various other tasks. The game has had five mainline games, two rereleased ports, and two spin off games. A third is about to be added to that last category, because Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma had an announcement trailer release.
The trailer features two figures, who will both be playable protagonists, fighting each other on flying dragons. Then it cuts to one of the figures, the boy Subaru waking up in a village of Azuma – a land without runes that has been struggling in the wake of an event called the Celestial Collapse. In the village, the player, now an amnesiac, is introduced to Woolby, a descendant of the Dragon God and a smaller form of the dragon the player was flying on earlier. Woolby informs the player that they have been made into an earth dancer with Woolby’s help. Earth dancers are able to help heal the planet and restore nature in the wake of the Celestial Collapse. Upon receiving this power, the villagers request that the player remain and help restore it.
After restoring the initial village, players are tasked with restoring the six gods who watch over the other villages, furthering the initial gameplay loop established in the first village. There is also an external, militaristic faction seeking to destroy the gods of Azuma for a yet unclear final goal. The other protagonist, Kaguya, is also showcased along with Subaru as they fight to restore nature and keep back the new threats. Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma will be coming to the Nintendo Switch in spring of 2025.