Farming game fans balk at $60 Harvestella price tag

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Farming-simulator RPG Harvestella was one of the breakout hits of the recent Nintendo Direct Mini, but prospective players aren't impressed by its price tag.

Harvestella looks like Square Enix's take on Rune Factory or Stardew Valley, tasking players with growing crops, cooking up meals, and getting to know the local villagers as the seasons change from spring to winter. Mixed in alongside those wholesome vibes, however, is narrative and gameplay straight out of the likes of Final Fantasy. As Quietus, the 'season of Death', falls on the village, you'll need to use your combat skills to save the village from destruction.

The Steam page for Harvestella went up after yesterday's showcase, confirming its November 4 release date as well as its $60 price point. While you might expect a massive JRPG to go for that kind of price, farming sims tend to go for a lot less - Stardew Valley ships at less than $20, as does Core Keeper. My Time at Portia sits at barely $10, while sequel My Time at Sandrock is just $25 in early access. The Story of Seasons series tends to push a little further, but even those games go for less than $40.

While Harvestella has generated a lot of positive buzz from Square Enix and farming sim fans alike, the response to Harvestella's increased price has been somewhat negative. Comments on r/pcgaming have poked fun at the game - user MakoRuu said "sixty bucks for Final Stardewsy XIV: Harvest Moon Edition," riffing on many of the game's inspirations. Elsewhere, others joked about Square Enix's 'generosity', while some comments discussed how much content they'd hope to see for that price, especially since farming games tend to offer hundreds of hours of playtime for heavily-invested players.

The response also taps into frustrations from fans over how Square Enix is pricing games on PC, with Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Forspoken also getting next-gen price tags of $69.99 on Steam.

We'll have to wait a little longer to see whether Harvestella proves worthy of its premium price, as the game is set to launch on PC and Nintendo Switch on November 4.

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