Marvelous has confirmed the release date for Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma. The announcement appeared first on Famitsu, which revealed the Japanese Nintendo Switch release date on May 30, and Marvelous has since updated the Japanese official site with the details.
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Marvelous USA has also confirmed that May 30 will also be the simultaneous worldwide release date for both Switch and PC Steam releases, with May 31 being the PC release date in the Japanese time zone.
Famitsu Magazine Details
Weekly Famitsu magazine also revealed more details about the gameplay system. The basic gameplay still features farming, but there are two major differences from prior series games: The protagonist can use dance techniques to simultaneously process a wide range of crops, from watering to harvesting. Each of the four seasons will also be locked to a specific village area year-round.
In addition, the magazine revealed the 12 characters who will be available as candidates for marriage and bearing children, but these characters won't be all. This feature was never implemented in the mainline numbered entries (although it did somewhat exist in Rune Factory Oceans / Tides of Destiny*), but Marvelous will make it so that the protagonist candidate the player did not choose will still appear in the game as a marriage candidate. That means if the player picks Subaru, he will be able to marry Kaguya, and vice versa.
*Translator's note: Famitsu's article has the following line which we translated directly: "In past titles, the protagonist you did not choose would never get involved in the story, but this time they will appear as a romance candidate!" Even though Rune Factory Oceans / Tides of Destiny has a male (Aden) and female (Sonja) protagonist who can marry each other, the game only let you play as Aden from the beginning, so technically speaking it does not count as a game where you choose a protagonist at the beginning.
The other 12 marriage candidates are as follows:
Hina: A were-animal vixen who works as an archaeologist and visits Azuma via Mauro's airship.
Iroha: The poster girl of the Iroha Teahouse in the Spring Village.
Matsuri: An Azuma goddess who manages Summer and Swords.
Ulalaka: An Azuma goddess who manages Spring and Fun.
Kanata: The primary deity of Azuma who manages Heaven and Light.
Clarice: A foreign military leader who initially acts hostile to the protagonist.
Mauro: A foreign adventurer who travels around the world with an airship.
Murasame: A samurai who focuses on training and collecting swords while traveling around Azuma.
Kurama: An Azuma god who manages Autumn and Wind.
Fubuki: An Azuma were-animal god who manages Winter and Water.
Kai: An ogre god who rules the Underworld.
Ikaruga: An Onmyoji diviner sent over by the Shogunate.
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The official site also lists two more characters who can also become marriage candidates, but only with a separately purchasable DLC. Otherwise, they will only appear as regular interactable characters.
Pilika: A hunter who hails from the lands north of Azuma.
Cuilang: A quiet mechanical expert who lives in the Autumn Village.
Marvelous has also uploaded a new official trailer for Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, and you can find it right below. The new game will be available worldwide for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.
Japanese Version Trailer
English Version Trailer
Marvelous USA announced today that Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma will launch globally on the Nintendo Switch system and Windows PC via Steam on May 30, 2025. The latest entry in the popular action-RPG and life-simulation series introduces players to the Eastern territory of Azuma, a land of Japanese-inspired visuals and unique twists on familiar gameplay elements from the Rune Factory franchise. Alongside the reveal of the release date, Marvelous USA announced an upcoming livestream that will happen on Jan. 22 at 8AM PT/11AM ET on their YouTube channel, where the company will be revealing additional information and showcasing further looks into the land of Azuma. Host Ovilee May will be joined by voice actors Brandon McInnis (Subaru) and Suzie Yeung (Kaguya), who will discuss their roles and provide additional commentary alongside new reveals.
Ravaged by the effects of the Celestial Collapse and the cessation of power provided by the runes, the eastern lands of Azuma are a shadow of their prosperous past. Weakened by corruptive forces, the gods of nature retreated from the world, leaving mountains to crumble and fields to wither. The people of Azuma seek aid against a blight that has swept these once-bountiful lands. One young hero enters into a contract with a dragon and sets out on a journey. “Accept the might of the Earth Dancer. Use this power to save the land.”
Guardians of Azuma takes players on an all-new adventure in the never-before-seen country of Azuma. Here, players will assume the role of an Earth Dancer destined to return hope—and life—to the once-thriving land. Choose from one of two protagonists whose fates are closely tied together, and experience reimagined and expanded Rune Factory gameplay; as an Earth Dancer, players will farm with grace, restore and build entire villages, and fight with new weapons like the Bow and Talismans. Azuma is a vast world to explore with majestic villages to uncover, each taking inspiration from Japanese culture and each with a seasonal theme. In addition to exploration, combat, and village-building, players will also cultivate relationships with the locals, recruiting them to your side in battle or to help manage the villages. Wield sacred treasures of the gods and the Earth Dancer’s power of dance to purify the land and return Azuma to its former glory. The adventure of a new world awaits.
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma Key Features
Bold New Abilities and Weapons: As an Earth Dancer, use the power of dance, sacred treasures, and fresh weapons like the Bow and Talismans to purify the land, farm, and undo the Blight’s damage.
It Takes a Village: Don’t just mind the farm—rebuild entire villages! Construct and place buildings strategically to entice people to return to the villages and contribute. Revive the gods to bring vitality and valuable resources back to the plagued lands.
Your Fantasy Japanese Life: Experience beautiful Japanese-inspired character designs and aesthetics—from festivals to events to monsters. Explore Azuma’s natural landscapes and its seasonal-themed locales steeped in tradition.
Classic Romance and Relationships: Choose between male and female protagonists, then befriend or romance any of the eligible candidates—god and mortal alike—in fully voiced scenarios. Recruit these new friends to aid in dynamic battles, too!
Pre-orders for the Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma “Earth Dancer Edition” on Nintendo Switch are now available via the Marvelous USA Online Store and at participating retailers for an MSRP of $99.99. This stunning collection comes in a custom outer box featuring awe-inspiring art of a battle high above Azuma, and includes a physical copy of the game, an original soundtrack CD, an art book, an Azuma-inspired folding fan, a plush Woolby keychain, and the “Earth Dancer DLC Pack,” which includes the “Seasons of Love Bundle,” the “Festive Attire and Dark Woolby Bundle,” the “Rune Factory 4 Outfit Bundle,” and the Useful Item Bundle. The standard edition of the game is also available to pre-order for an MSRP of $59.99.
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma will also be available digitally on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch and Windows PC via Steam. Details on SKUs and pricing will be available at a later date.
Developed by Marvelous and published in the Americas by Marvelous USA, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is scheduled for release globally on the Nintendo Switch and Windows PC via Steam on May 30, 2025. The title will be published in Japan by Marvelous Inc. and in Europe by Marvelous Europe.
