Natsume Inc., a worldwide developer and publisher of family-oriented video games, today announced to us here at STG the creation of its Natsume Indie Program, which partners the company with independent developers around the world to introduce creative, innovative games to a wider audience. Natsume’s first title under the brand, Cosmic Defenders, is currently being developed by Tokyo-based developer Fiery Squirrel.

The first developer in the Natsume Indie Program, Fiery Squirrel, is a one-man team crafting simple, yet innovative games that deliver enjoyable experiences for all players. The creator behind Fiery Squirrel is Henry Fernández, a Venezuelan developer that loves using old-school elements in a modern way to create meaningful games that are easy to understand and full of life.

Fernández was born in Caracas, Venezuela and studied computer engineering in Venezuela, and then in Japan as an exchange student, where he was introduced to video game development and artificial intelligence. After learning to make games and appreciating the challenge and satisfaction, he decided to pursue a career as a video game developer. Having loved the experience, lifestyle, and culture in Japan, he decided to continue his education, and is currently working on his PhD at Tokyo University of Technology. His first title, Fluff Eaters, an unusual adventure about a purple cat, was released for Android and iOS in 2012, and was presented at Tokyo Game Show, PAX South, and Tokyo Indie Fest.

“Natsume has been dedicated to its mission to ‘Make Everyone Happy’ through exciting interactive entertainment software for the entire family for the past 23 years and we are excited to work with new developers who represent this likeminded mission,” said Hiro Maekawa, President & CEO of Natsume. “We are proud to support and collaborate with dedicated, artistic, and inspiring developers who are building the future of video games.”

“I am thrilled to be working with such a great company as Natsume, and I hope that together we can create game experiences that impact players in a meaningful way,” said Henry Fernández, CEO of Fiery Squirrel.

Natsume and Fiery Squirrel are currently working on Cosmic Defenders, an upcoming Nintendo Switch game that will be launching later this year. Cosmic Defenders is a 2D fast-paced revolving shooter about a group of unconventional heroes using the power of nature to stop chaotic aliens from taking over the universe. Cooperate with other guardians, protect the galaxy from the wicked, and restore peace! More details about the game will be revealed leading up to E3 2019.

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Natsume Inc., a worldwide developer and publisher of family-oriented video games, announced to us here at STG Wild Guns Reloaded for the Nintendo Switch; coming early 2018.

A big hit on Steam and PlayStation 4, this is the first time the game will be available for the new Nintendo console.

Wild Guns Reloaded is a fast-paced gallery style shooter mixing the Wild West with steampunk. Players can play as Clint, Annie, two new characters, or all together in multiplayer action! Each can jump, dive and roll to get out of the way of the barrage of bullets enemies let fly – or shoot them down with their own gun!

In Wild Guns Reloaded, Annie has tracked down the famed bounty hunter Clint to get revenge on the Kid gang. With eight stages, each with three zones, there’s plenty of bad robots to blast away. With a true arcade game feel, Wild Guns was the first sci-fi western to arrive on home consoles and, to this day, there really isn’t any other game like it!

“Natsume developed the original Wild Guns in 1994 for the SNES, and we are proud to continue this legacy in Wild Guns Reloaded for Nintendo Switch,” said Hiro Maekawa, President & CEO of Natsume. “We’ve included some brand new features for the Switch version that we’re very excited about!”

The Switch version offers new game modes, such as Beginner Mode. Now, newcomers can play the arcade-style shooter with unlimited lives! And in contrast to Beginner Mode, Boss Rush: Time Attack was created for Wild Guns veterans. For the hardest of the hardcore, Boss Rush: Time Attack mode lets players take on all the bosses in the game, one right after the other!

How far can you get?!

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This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the beloved farming simulation franchise, Harvest Moon. The game first released in North America in 1997, and has continued to see a steady rise of popularity and players, making it one of today’s most beloved franchises. Harvest Moon is revered for being a non-violent, family oriented game for everyone, and there have been more than 30 games released in the series.

In celebration of Harvest Moon’s 20th anniversary, Natsume Inc., a worldwide developer and publisher of family-oriented video games, and Rising Star Games, European video game publisher and long-standing partner of Natsume, has announced an all new title, Harvest Moon: Light of Hope.The new game will encompass twenty years of spirit that has made the franchise what it is today, and will be available on Nintendo Switch, Steam, and PlayStation 4.

This is the first time the Harvest Moon brand will be on Steam and the Nintendo Switch.

In Harvest Moon: Light of Hope, players begin the game as they set out looking for a fresh start and new surroundings. During their voyage, their ship is hit by a monsoon and goes down. As they drift into a small harbor town, now in a shambles from the storm, it will be up to the player to help rebuild the town and save the lighthouse… but it won’t be easy! Nevertheless, with some hard work growing crops, tending livestock, and gathering materials for repairs, players will be able to make new friends, start a family, revive the lighthouse, and save the town!

“Harvest Moon: Light of Hope will set itself apart from other Harvest Moon titles with its depth, including a robust story and clear-cut goals,” said Hiro Maekawa, President & CEO of Natsume.  “We set out to create a SNES-style nostalgic game with deep and meaningful characters and events, and we are excited to have our fans play it at E3 and tell us what they think!”

“Partnering with Natsume for over a decade, we’ve been delighted to bring the joyful gameplay of Harvest Moon to fans in Europe and beyond”, said Martin Defries, Managing Director, Rising Star Games. “We are excited to be part of the unveiling of Harvest Moon: Light of Hope at E3″.

As part of the year-long 20th anniversary celebration, Natsume has also unveiled the re-release of Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life Special Edition and Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland for the PlayStation 4, and Harvest Moon 64 for the Nintendo Wii U. Rising Star Games, in cooperation with Natsume, announced its first ever app for smart devices, Harvest Moon Lil’ Farmers. The history of the franchise can be seen at a new site with official release dates, artwork, box art, and interesting trivia HERE.

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