At Gamescom we got the opportunity to interview Shiro Maekawa, director of Rune Factory 5. After a cancellation due to illness, we were able to conduct the interview via e-mail. Here are the answers!
We talked to Maekawa about the future of the series, further remakes and remasters, same-sex relationships and a possible worldwide simultaneous release of new games.
Enjoy!
First of all, thank you Mr. Maekawa for taking the time for interviews. And congratulations on the milestone of over half a million copies sold. Have you been celebrating the sales success?
Shiro Maekawa: Thank you. I would like to thank all the fans who have waited so long for the new game, even though it took a long time for it to come out. Encouraged by this, we will continue to work hard to bring the Rune Factory series to you, although it’s a little hard to say how long it will be before the next one comes out.
Rune Factory 5 is the title that was released the fastest in Europe after its Japanese release. It was released in Europe after only 10 months after the release in Japan, while the other titles took at least a year to reach us. Do the current sales figures perhaps speak to shortening the time gap in the future? Or do European fans still have to be patient?
Shiro Maekawa: If possible, we would like to aim for a simultaneous worldwide release next time, but it is difficult due to the translation situation, Rune Factory has a huge amount of text, and that’s part of what makes it so appealing.
What would still speak for it is the fact that the Steam version and the same-sex relationships were added especially for the West. Does the Western market therefore play an important role?
Shiro Maekawa: The Western market is a very important market for Rune Factory. However, we believe that the inclusion of same-sex marriage is more in response to the growing attention of diversity worldwide than just for the Western market. It is also intended to give players more freedom in the game. The overwhelming degree of freedom is one of the attractive points of Rune Factory.
I particularly enjoyed the battles in Rune Factory 5. They were very dynamic and somehow more open than in the predecessors. To what extent will the fan feedback from Rune Factory 5 influence the future of the series? For example, will you stick with the change from 2D to 3D graphics, or are there other aspects that you’re taking to heart from community requests in particular?
Shiro Maekawa: Thank you very much. I think the exhilarating and dynamic nature of battles is one of the characteristics of Rune Factory, so I would like to continue to pursue more exhilarating battles in the future. The change to 3D graphics will continue in the future. However, we were thinking about having the system change between 3D and 2D depending on the situation, like the field camera in Rune Factory 5. We are exploring different options and we will see what works and what our players prefer!
The farming simulation industry is experiencing a real boom, especially in the indie sector. Hokko Life, My Time at Sandrock or Coral Island want to convince with their very own approaches. Harvestella from Square Enix also plays with the fifth season with a new approach. What would you say sets the Rune Factory series apart from other farming sims?
Shiro Maekawa: I think the biggest appealing point of the Rune Factory series is the unique characters. They don’t just exist as symbols, but live as if they are actually alive and can communicate with the player, and each character has his or her own story, which I think is a big difference between Rune Factory and other games.
Are there any video games that the Rune Factory series itself was particularly inspired by?
Shiro Maekawa: As I mentioned earlier, various rivals have appeared, so I keep an eye on them. I can say that I’m heavily influenced in the sense that I try to compete and not to lose (laughs).
Remasters and remakes are very popular nowadays and many traditional series work with them. I can imagine that the renewals of Nintendo DS games in particular are not easy. Have you thought about it? The first games are difficult to access today.
Shiro Maekawa: Thanks to your support, Rune Factory 4 Special has been well received and has now led to the remake of Rune Factory 3 Special. We will continue to consider remakes and remasters based on the reaction of users.
Rune Factory 3 Special announcement trailer:
Bildmaterial: Rune Factory 5, Marvelous, Hakama
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