Natsume

Natsume is a well-known name in the Japanese and American games industries, with a history dating back to the 1980s. The brand is associated with Natsume Inc. and the Japanese company NatsumeAtari, which share historical roots but now operate independently. Throughout its history, Natsume has been involved in the development, localisation and publishing of video games for Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox consoles, as well as other platforms.

Natsume is best known for the Harvest Moon brand. For many years, the company published the Japanese Bokujō Monogatari series in North America, which were known in Western markets as Harvest Moon. These games combine farming, animal husbandry, building relationships with townspeople and the gradual development of one’s own farm.

Following a change in publishing arrangements, Natsume began developing and publishing its own games under the Harvest Moon brand, whilst the original Japanese Bokujō Monogatari series began to be published in the West under the name Story of Seasons. Consequently, today’s Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons are not the same game series, although they share a common history.

Among the brand’s more recent titles are Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley, Harvest Moon: Light of Hope, Harvest Moon: Mad Dash, Harvest Moon: One World and Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos. The games retain the core principles of farming, growing crops, raising animals, exploring and building relationships.

Another of the company’s major franchises is Reel Fishing, a series of fishing simulations with a history dating back to the first PlayStation. The games focus on catching various species of fish, using the right equipment and gradually discovering new fishing spots.

Natsume is also associated with a number of other console titles and franchises. In the past, for example, it worked on games such as Pocky & Rocky, Wild Guns and Shadow of the Ninja. Modern sequels and remakes of these classic titles are primarily created by the Japanese company NatsumeAtari and its Tengo Project team.

Natsume thus represents a significant part of the history of console gaming, from the NES and SNES eras right through to modern platforms. It is best known for the Harvest Moon and Reel Fishing franchises, whilst its historical roots are also linked to a number of classic Japanese action games.