Story of Seasons and Rune Factory celebrated a joint anniversary livestream, revealing early footage of Rune Factory 6 and an untitled new Story of Seasons game. Read on to learn more about the anniversary event and other details.
Story of Seasons & Rune Factory Anniversary Stream Celebrates the Series, Reveals New Games
Joint 30th and 20th Anniversary Celebration
Marvelous USA held a special livestream on August 24, 2026, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Story of Seasons and the 20th anniversary of Rune Factory. The stream doubled as a venue for the team to tease its next steps for both series, though details for release dates and platforms remain unknown.
Most of the livestream was spent looking back on old titles, fan appreciation, and what the community loved about the games. While going through thoughts and insights, the teasers for both games came in as previews, particularly how each world’s setting is shaping up to be.
Rune Factory 6 Official First-Look
The Rune Factory series' official account shared the work-in-progress footage of Rune Factory 6. It was first announced back in May 2023 alongside what was then known as Project Dragon, which was later released as Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma in June 2025.
The brief clip didn't reveal gameplay nor a release window, but it was enough to get fans discussing what they want out of the next mainline entries. While most fans highly anticipate the teased projects, some requests and comments wish for a return to the series' classic style and presentation, or at least an option to switch between top-down and 3D visuals.
New Story of Seasons Game Also Gets a Teaser
The stream also showcased an early look at an unannounced entry in the Story of Seasons franchise. The brief clip shows a rustic coastal town, along with a farm growing cherry and orange trees, potatoes, lettuce, turnips, and more.
Fans quickly pointed to a cave briefly shown in the background as a possible nod to 2010’s The Tale of Two Towns, though nothing concrete has been confirmed. Unlike Rune Factory 6, this new Story of Seasons project doesn't have a title yet, nor has it been shown until now.
Character Popularity Poll Results Revealed
Alongside the two teasers, Marvelous announced the results of the character popularity polls that opened earlier this year for both franchises. The company commissioned series artists Igusa Matsuyama and Minako Iwasaki to illustrate the top-ranked characters from Story of Seasons and Rune Factory, respectively. Noticeably, popular titles, such as Trio of Towns and Rune Factory 4, dominated the votes across the polls.
Rune Factory's top 5 featured in the post were:
⚫︎ 1st - Leon Bastet VIII (Rune Factory 4)
⚫︎ 2nd - Dylas (Rune Factory 4)
⚫︎ 3rd - Doug (Rune Factory 4)
⚫︎ 4th - Raven (Rune Factory 3)
⚫︎ 5th - Kurama (Guardians of Azuma)
Meanwhile, Story of Seasons' top 10 results were the following:
⚫︎ 1st - Neil (A New Beginning)
⚫︎ 2nd - Yuzuki (Trio of Towns)
⚫︎ 3rd - Ludus (Trio of Towns)
⚫︎ 4th - Vaughn (Island of Happiness)
⚫︎ 5th - Cam (The Tale of Two Towns)
⚫︎ 6th - Raeger (Story of Seasons)
⚫︎ 7th - Jules (Grand Bazaar)
⚫︎ 8th - Lloyd (Grand Bazaar)
⚫︎ 9th - Hinata (Trio of Towns)
⚫︎ 10th - Wayne (Trio of Towns)
Worldwide Appreciation and Fan Celebrations
The livestream also featured a line of merchandise celebrating the anniversary of both games, showcasing kitchenware themed after the cow, chicken, and Wooly. Story of Seasons' JP also confirmed a collaboration with Ikumimama's Animal Donuts, a Japanese specialty donut shop known for its character and animal-themed treats, as part of the 30th anniversary festivities.
The celebration drew reactions from beyond the fan community. Stardew Valley creator ConcernedApe posted his congratulations while tuning in to the live stream, crediting the original games for popularizing the farming sim formula and heavily inspiring Stardew Valley.
Marvelous has chosen to keep both Rune Factory 6 and the new Story of Seasons shrouded in mystery for now, but the team confirms that players can look forward to future updates.
Sources:
Ikumimama's Animal Donuts Collaboration Confirmed
Happy 30th anniversary to Story of Seasons and 20th anniversary to Rune Factory! The originals that started it all
Rune Factory Top 5 Anniversary Character Poll Reveal Art
Harvest Moon Top 10 Exclusive New Illustrations Popularity Poll
