XSEED Games and Marvelous AQL have confirmed the awesome news – they’re localizing Bokujo Monogatari: Tsunagaru Shin Tenchi, or as we’ve known it – Harvest Moon: Connect to a New Land. The key thing here is that the game is actually called Story of Seasons, and it will not be known as Harvest Moon.

Story of Seasons will be arriving exclusively on the Nintendo 3DS sometime later this year in North America. The game saw a release in Japan earlier this year, and while Natsume owns the rights to the name in North America, its localization is being handled by XSEED, a subsidiary of Marvelous, the development studio who makes the games.

The good news for veteran Harvest Moon fans (like myself) is that the story was penned by the series’ longtime producer, Yoshifumi Hasmimoto, and the character designs were done by Igusa Matsuyama, and the bulk of the development team that worked on Story of Seasons are all veterans of the series as well.

One of the coolest features within Story of Seasons is the ability to create a fully customizable character, meaning you can select the hair, gender, skin tone, and so on. You’ll then take on the task of running a new farm once again in Oak Tree Town, a very small town with the chance to grow into something truly special.

You’ll be able to raise livestock, tend to your crops, build your relationships with other villagers, and of course – get married and start a family. You’ll also be able to completely customize the layout of  your farm and your house, choosing the layout and overall style to fit your preferences.

Story of Seasons will be playable at E3 this year. We’ll keep you guys posted.