Sony Online Entertainment has announced that Free Realms now supports farming. I would tell you to put down your pitchforks, but in this case you might actually need them. Recently, SOE introduced the option for players to farm their own land in the game, allowing players to grow and harvest crops to obtain new and unique items.

Players can also take part in new mini-games that will allow them to convert their harvested crops into coin and help out friends. This particular feature may or may not have been inspired by the success of Farmville. Check out the official press release after the break for more details.

Need some help getting started? Check out SOE's newest guide to Free Realms Farming.

AGRICULTURE EVOLVES THE VIRTUAL WORLD: 

FREE REALMS® INTRODUCES FARMING

Players Customize Crops, Chase Critters, and Lend a Hand to Friendly Farmers

The days of "kill-ten-rats" and kitschy collection quests are numbered. Virtual world, hunter-gatherer existence has evolved and agriculture has once again come to the forefront of [online] civilization with the introduction of FARMING to the popular free-to-play, family-friendly virtual world game, Free Realms®!

Recently introduced to agrarian life and the cultivation of food plants and farm vegetation, all Free Realms players receive a free Wilds Farm where they can plant, grow and harvest crops to gain access to new and unique items. Through Farming, players can also play new mini-games that allow them to convert their harvested crops into coin. Farmers can landscape their own plots, experiment with hybrid varieties, and are also rewarded for helping out their fellow farmers. 

For those players who are mass-production minded, additional farms and items can be purchased from the Station Cash Marketplace. Each farm a player owns can be leveled up from level one (1) to twenty (20) by Members, unlocking new tools, items, seeds, quests and the potential to earn more coin. Free players can level their farm up to level five (5) for free, but Membership is required to continue earning experience.

Farming Features:

·       New Wilds Farm instance for every player

·       Use farming tools to keep farms clear of weeds, obstacles, and pests

·       Harvest crops in the overworld and convert them to seeds for planting

·       Plant, water, and grow a wide variety of crop types and be sure to chase away the critters

·       Experiment with the Farm-O-matic machine to create new hybrid crops

·       Harvest crops and trade them in the Farmers Market for rewards

·       Play mini-games and convert harvested crops into coin

·       Visit friends' farm to earn more coin

·       Cool items available in the marketplace to boost farm production

Farming is now available in Free Realms for the PC and MAC systems. Free Realms is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and up with content descriptors of Crude Humor and Fantasy Violence. Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB. For more information, visit www.FreeRealms.com.

About Free Realms

Free Realms® is a free-to-play online virtual world for the PC, MAC and PlayStation®Network that features an endless array of exciting gameplay activities, minigames, and adventures to entertain a diversity of players. Recently recognized by Creative Child Magazine with the 2010 Creative Toy Award Seal of Excellence, Free Realms is a fun online experience to share with the entire family. From ninja fighting and soccer goal scoring to battling pirate ships and decorating player housing, in Free Realms players can be and do whatever they want when they want! With over 16 million registered players on the PC and MAC platforms, Free Realms offers a fun, social environment to connect with old and new friends while participating in live events and community activities.

About Sony Online Entertainment

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online game console and wireless devices. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold Legends™, PlanetSide®, and the recently launched DC Universe Online™, as well as the recent kids' phenomena Free Realms® and Clone Wars Adventures™, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, has an array of cutting-edge games in development across various platforms and genres for audiences of all ages.

SOE, the SOE logo, EverQuest, Free Realms, and PlanetSide are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. Legends of Norrath is a trademark of Sony Online Entertainment LLC.