{"rewrite":{"id":"r_8a4e716379ab7c241fb7fbff","clusterId":"c_e9acab54c73b087ac473af90","slug":"sakuna-of-rice-and-ruin-2026-update-early-test-launches-on-steam","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin 2026 Update Early Test Launches on Steam","summary":"Edelweiss, the doujin game circle behind Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, released the 2026 update as an early test on Steam on August 25. Anyone who owns the Steam version can join by selecting the 'open_beta' branch in the game's properties. The update is the first since December 2021 and includes a New Game+ mode called 'Rebirth,' which lets players who cleared the game carry over rice strength, skills, items, and equipment before starting over. New equipment includes the 'War God's Hunting Attire,' which doubles movement speed, and the 'Harvest God's Hunting Attire,' which ties stats to the previous year's rice harvest. A 'Quick Change' feature registers equipment as favorites, and the maximum rice carrying capacity rises to 9999. Additional conversation events have been added, including a scene where Kokorowa joins the dining table at home. According to developer Naru, implementation is nearly complete and awaiting translation support. Players are advised to back up save data because test saves may become unreadable. Posting about new systems and combat is allowed, but story event details should stay under wraps until the official release. The game is available on PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.","whyItMatters":"The early test signals that the long-awaited update, driven by player requests after a five-year gap, is close to final release, with the developer aiming to ship it within the year.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u0026#34;Yuru Tama Series\u0026#34; equipment changes performance randomly each day.\u003c/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIf a meal is judged a \u0026#34;poor meal,\u0026#34; the \u0026#34;Thanks for the meal\u0026#34; line shifts to a low-energy tone.\u003c/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eThe deepest level of the Heavenly Shrine can be accessed from the start in Rebirth.\u003c/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003ePlayers can adjust enemy strength to match Sakuna when selecting carryover items.\u003c/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eBugs and opinions can be reported through a dedicated form.\u003c/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eTo join the test, right-click the game in the Steam library, open Properties, and pick \u0026#34;open_beta\u0026#34; from \u0026#34;Game Version and Beta.\u0026#34; The install is complete when the version at the bottom right of the title screen reads \u0026#34;2026\u0026#34; or later.\u003c/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eThe game has surpassed 1.5 million cumulative shipments worldwide since its 2020 release.\u003c/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eSteam shows a \u0026#34;Very Positive\u0026#34; rating, with 92% of 4,990 user reviews positive.\u003c/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eA small-scale update was announced for November 2025, and a call for update requests in December 2025 drew significant attention on social media.\u003c/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eDeveloper Naru said as of August 25 the implementation is nearly complete and waiting on translation support.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin's 2026 update puts New Game+ in player hands via Steam's open_beta branch. Edelweiss is testing mechanics like Rebirth and Quick Change now, with translation still pending.","twitterPost":"Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin's 2026 update beta is live on Steam, adding Rebirth New Game+ and Quick Change. Translation is still in progress.","threadsPost":"Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin's first update since December 2021 is now testable on Steam via the open_beta branch. It adds Rebirth New Game+, Quick Change, and new conversation events, but translation support is still pending. Edelweiss is letting players stress-test mechanics before the official release.","newsletterBlurb":"Edelweiss has launched an early test for the long-awaited 2026 update to Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin on Steam. The update adds New Game+ and new events, with a full release planned within the year.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Automaton\",\"url\":\"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260825-462529/\",\"title\":\"Rice- Growing Action RPG 'Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin' Gets First New Update in About 5 Years, Steam Early Test Finally Begins. Try 'New Game+' and Additional Events in Advance\"},{\"source\":\"Denfaminicogamer\",\"url\":\"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/2608253m\",\"title\":\"Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin Large Update Adding New Game+ and Conversation Event Scenes Released Early via Steam Beta Feature; Carry Over Rice Strength, Skills, Equipment, and More to Start from the Beginning\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":10352,"outputTokens":1419,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1787877476,"createdAt":"2026-08-28T00:35:33.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-08-28T00:36:44.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-28T00:35:33.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_e9acab54c73b087ac473af90","canonicalTitle":"稲作アクションRPG『天穂のサクナヒメ』約5年ぶりの新アプデ、ついにSteamで先行テスト開始。「ニューゲーム＋」や追加イベントなどをお先に試せる","representativeArticleId":"a_204137cb3ef25c78b9c2b03b","sourceCount":2,"writtenSourceCount":2,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin\"],\"studios\":[\"Edelweiss\"],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"announcement\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-08-25T07:36:52.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-08-25T10:43:03.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-28T00:36:45.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Denfaminicogamer","url":"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/2608253m","title":"『天穂のサクナヒメ』“ニューゲーム＋”や“会話イベントシーン”を追加する大型アプデがSteamのベータ機能で先行公開。稲の強さや技、装備などを選んで引き継ぎ、最初からプレイ可能"},{"source":"Automaton","url":"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260825-462529/","title":"稲作アクションRPG『天穂のサクナヒメ』約5年ぶりの新アプデ、ついにSteamで先行テスト開始。「ニューゲーム＋」や追加イベントなどをお先に試せる"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin"],"studios":["Edelweiss"],"people":[],"type":"announcement","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["Edelweiss released the 2026 update for Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin as an early test on Steam on August 25, 2026.","The update is the first since December 2021 and includes a New Game+ mode called 'Rebirth' that carries over rice strength, skills, items, and equipment.","New equipment includes the 'War God's Hunting Attire' for double movement speed and the 'Harvest God's Hunting Attire' that reflects the previous year's rice farming results in stats.","The maximum rice carrying capacity has been increased to 9999, and a 'Quick Change' feature allows registering equipment as favorites.","Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin has surpassed 1.5 million cumulative shipments worldwide as of the update announcement."]}