‘Story of Seasons’ sequel leads Xseed’s E3 2016 lineup

By Danny Cowan Published June 10, 2016

story of seasons sequel leads xseeds e3 2016 lineup — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Gaming publisher and localization studio Xseed Games revealed its E3 2016 lineup, announcing that it has a Nintendo 3DS sequel in store for its Harvest Moon series successor Story of Seasons.

Other upcoming games from Xseed include follow-up to 2014’s anime-styled brawler Akiba’s Trip; and Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star, a PlayStation 4 and PS Vita action-RPG premiering this winter.

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Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns is the second entry in Xseed’s farming simulation series for the Nintendo 3DS. Xseed plans to expand on the series’ traditional crop-harvesting, animal-raising gameplay with a new storyline that splits its narrative between three uniquely themed towns, each of which offers its own regional delicacies, livestock, and festivals.

E3 2016: Watch out for these games at E3 2016

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Despite its localized title, Story of Seasons is actually a continuation of the Harvest Moon (Bokujo Monogatari) series in its native Japan. Publisher Natsume retains the rights to the Harvest Moon trademark in the United States, and is currently producing its own sequel, Skytree Village, with a different development team. Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns will launch at retail and digitally via Nintendo’s eShop in 2017.

Also on tap from Xseed is Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star, an action-RPG that continues the long-running Fate/Stay Night series. Featuring a story that takes place after the events of Fate/Extra, The Umbral Star will launch for the PlayStation 4 and PS Vita stateside this winter.

PlayStation 4 owners can also look forward to Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity, a Diablo-styled dungeon crawler debuting this summer. Other Xseed titles premiering for PlayStation platforms in the coming months include winter’s PS4 and Vita beat-’em-up Akiba’s Beat and Exile’s End, a “dark and futuristic 2D sidescroller” headed for the PS4, Vita, and Wii U this summer.

Xseed additionally revealed that it will publish a retail version of developer WayForward’s exploration-driven platformer Shantae: Half-Genie Hero for the PlayStation 4, PS Vita, and Wii U this fall. More details regarding the publisher’s upcoming slate of localized games will be revealed at E3.

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"We approach our involvement in any event on a case-by-case basis and are always considering various ways to engage with our fans," a Nintendo spokesperson said in a statement to The Verge. "Since this year’s E3 show didn’t fit into our plans, we have made the decision to not participate. However, we have been and continue to be a strong supporter of the ESA [Entertainment Software Association] and E3."
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