Rune Factory 5 brings LGBTQ+ relationships to the series
As revealed via the Nintendo Direct trailer last night, Rune Factory 5 – the long-awaited sequel that fans have been waiting to find out more about – will launch on the Nintendo Switch on the 25th March, 2022. What’s more, new gameplay showed that Rune Factory 5 will be unique in comparison to its older games by finally allowing players to enter LGBTQ+ relationships with other characters.
This is a huge step forward for players as the Western release of this game will mark the very first instance where same-sex relationships are available. Rune Factory 5 has been available in Japan since early 2021, however that release does not have any same-sex relationships involved, making the Western release of the game incredibly different.
The reason for this is largely thanks to XSEED and Marvelous who, as they’ve detailed in their localization blog, have put in so much work to help make this game be as inclusive as they can possibly be. It’s admirable and inspiring and, in our humble opinion, is what most game developers should strive towards when being inclusive.
Players will take on the role of either Ares or Alice, the male and female protagonist that’ll pave the way on this new adventure. Regardless of who you choose as your Rune Factory 5 hero, you’ll be able to develop relationships and even marry the marriage candidates you come across. Everyone gets a smooch in this game, doesn’t matter whether you’re a guy or a gal. Mostly we’re just happy that there are same-sex relationships being included in the first place. It’s been a requested feature since forever, after all.
There are twelve romance options for you to choose from: Lyka, Lucas, Martin, Murakumo, Cecile, Reinhard, Beatrice, Ludmila, Fuqua, Lucy, Priscilla, and Scarlett.
Outside of fostering relationships with the people around you though, players will embark on a quest with Ares or Alice to find and recover their lost memories and restore peace within the town of Rigbarth. They’ll join the peacekeeping force known as Seed and fight monsters and other nasty creatures in vast dungeons. These monsters threaten the well-being of their friends, themselves, and the town – so it’s up to players to send these nasties packing!
There’s also farming, which is where the heart of Rune Factory 5 lies. As Ares or Alice you’ll be able to nurture farmland around your home to provide food and resources for money. This is just one step forward to not only making your protagonist happy, but ensuring true peace within the town of Rigbarth.
Key features to look out for:
â—Ź Tame monsters or team up with townsfolk to explore a massive world
â—Ź Defend the frontier and support your community as a peacekeeping ranger
â—Ź Unleash uniquely powerful combo attacks with your teammates
â—Ź Cultivate crops in the fields
â—Ź Find friendship, love, and family with a colourful cast of characters
If this sounds like your kind of game, then you won’t have to wait long before you can play. Rune Factory 5 will launch on the Nintendo Switch on the 25th March 2022 for Europe and Australia.
[We have updated this article to include crucial information that was missed at the time of publication.]
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We do know who the player will be able to end up with, the games came out in japan several month ago, but you could not have a gay romance in it.
Same sex romance was add with the western release of the game and it will be patch in the Japanese version of the game before the end of the year.
That is kind of the reason why it is a big deal to a lot of people since most fan thought that we were not getting it because of the original launch version not having it
Xseed wrote a blog post about it: https://www.xseedgames.com/2021/09/23/rune-factory-5-localization-blog-2/
This is actually very cool! I didn’t know about this at the time of publishing this article. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will update the article to highlight this. 🙂