The popular farming simulator, Stardew Valley, is set to receive another substantial update, according to its creator, Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone. This announcement comes shortly after Barone expressed his desire to not solely be defined by the game. The update, titled 1.7, suggests a significant addition of content, given the numbering convention. To illustrate, Stardew Valley’s 1.6 update introduced features like eight-player co-op on PC, new crops, expanded NPC dialogues, a mastery system, additional pets, and the option to adorn pets with hats (a feature that presented some initial challenges).
“Alright, since it was unveiled at the concert yesterday and the news is out, I can confirm: Stardew Valley will be receiving a 1.7 update,” Barone posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) over the weekend. “No date or estimate as to when this will be released at the moment. But it is officially in the works.”
While Barone is also actively developing Haunted Chocolatier, a new, more combat-oriented RPG, he finds himself drawn back to Stardew Valley. There’s always something to tweak or introduce, no matter how quirky. “It’s just much easier to expand on Stardew Valley than to completely create a new game,” he mentioned in May. “Stardew Valley already has all the major systems established. That’s often the most tedious part. Updating the game allows me to just add features and ideas, like adding green rain. It is a way of implementing my random, creative whims.”
In Barone’s defense, having developed what became the fourth best-selling PC title in history, it is understandable that he may not feel pressured to immediately move on. Continuing to refine it is appealing. I, on the other hand, would intersperse the refining process with many holidays. In between trips and nostalgic Micro Machines sessions, I would still dedicate time to refining the game. One can imagine George R. R. Martin perhaps wishes he were in the position to update already-released GOT books, as opposed to working on “The Winds of Winter”.