Stardew Valley is a farming sim where you inherit a run-down farm located in Pelican Town, which you are intended to revitalize. It was made by one person, credited in game as ConcernedApe, and whose real name is Eric Barone. The game was released in 2016 with continuous updates throughout its time. The most recently announced update being 1.6, which was originally supposed to make it easier to mod the game. Though Barone has recently shared the full extent of what the update will change in the game.
This was intended to be a small, quick update, but Barone has mentioned he put the current game he is working on, Haunted Chocolatier, on pause in order to flesh it out. The update will expand on the already extensive storyline with more dialogue for the NPCs (non-playable characters) and new late-game content. Winter outfits will also be given to villagers in the update, which will help with realism.
A new farm type is going to be added, which would make a total of eight farm types. Each type has its own unique set of challenges and benefits. Along with the farm, fans speculate that a new crop and ore are going to be included. On your farm you are able to use various machines to turn raw goods into artisan goods, and a fish-related machine will be the newest addition.
Off the farm, festivals are a core part of the game that players use to get special rewards and to boost their relationship with the villagers. A major festival and two mini festivals will be the latest addition, though exactly what kind of festival has not been revealed. Quests are used for the same purpose, and a reward for billboard quests, which are quests that are usually more difficult to complete, will be put in. On top of new rewards for quests, alternatives for a few end-game quests will be available.
Fans also think that there will be a new character added into the game, though it has not been directly confirmed. They are guessing off of a teaser picture of the character, who does not look like any other character that is currently in the game. This is exciting because it has the possibility of changing the storyline. Another addition will be eight player multiplayer support for PC. This means that you would be able to play with up to eight other people. This would make it much more enjoyable for some, since playing with friends is beneficial for newer players.
The update is set to come out early 2024, though if we are lucky, it could come out late 2023.
