Stardew Valley developer ConcernedApe has confirmed the fans' suspicions: content update 1.6 is due to launch in 2024 after all! Though update 1.6 won't be the biggest the game's received yet, it has ended up being bigger than the developer expected, which is good news for the players.

As per some of ConcernedApe's previous announcements, Stardew Valley update 1.6 will be adding new tidbits and goodies to virtually every aspect of the game, and it is now officially in the "bug-fixing and polishing phase until it's ready for release," ConcernedApe has recently confirmed on Twitter.

Stardew Valley 1.6 is coming soon(ish)

Those who haven't kept up with the news will be thrilled to hear that Stardew Valley update 1.6 adds all of the following to the mix:

• An all-new "major" festival
• Two all-new mini-festivals
• Bonus late-game content
• New items and crafting recipes
• Joja alternatives to endgame quest lines
• 100+ new lines of dialogue
• Cold weather outfits for villagers
• 6-player multiplayer on PC
• New farm type
• New secrets
• A wealth of small additions and adjustments

This list, note, isn't what you'd call "exhaustive." ConcernedApe himself said that the list featured above is merely a "sneak peek" to the full list of additions, suggesting a fairly massive bump-up in content. Whatever the case may be, it's clear that Stardew Valley will be even better and more interesting after update 1.6 hits. It may even be enough to tide you over until Haunted Chocolatier comes out!

Curiously, Stardew Valley isn't the only hugely successful indie game that's getting a humongous content update in 2024. Project Zomboid's Build 42, for one, has been in active production since early 2021, and the developer has finally come out to announce it, too, would be released sometime this year. The overlap between Stardew and Zomboid isn't necessarily overwhelmingly massive, granted, but this does suggest that 2024 might end up being the Year of Awesome Indie Updates, as it were. Fun to think about, if nothing else!

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Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has been hard at work on the next update for Stardew Valley. While the creator is taking their time to make sure the patch is ready for release, they have made it clear that progress is coming along while also sharing a little tease.

Over on Twitter, Barone has shared a screenshot from Stardew Valley, showing off the new "Big Chest" in update 1.6. The post goes on to say that the developer has "self-imposed" a crunch mode to get the patch out but made a "ton of progress" on it last month.

Nothing much has been said about what's coming, as the developer wants to keep "mostly everything secret." However, we have had some teases in the past, such as hats for animals. But we'll know more once the update does roll out.

A labor of love

Barone seems clearly passionate about their game, which has gone down as one of the best indie titles in recent memory. When asked why they continue to work on Stardew Valley, the creator said: "I want it to be the best it can be," adding that "it's been my life's work and I care a lot about it."

On top of update 1.6, the game is also going on tour, with an orchestra set to travel the globe playing arrangements from the Stardew soundtrack. The tour kicks off in Los Angeles on February 16, 2024.

On a personal note, I'm actually fairly new to the game myself. However, I became rather hooked on its simplistic visuals, relaxing mechanics, and the sheer amount of content that's been lovingly put in. The next patch is definitely one that a lot of fans will be keen to try out.

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One of the appeals of Stardew Valley is its chill soundtrack. Accompanying players while they farm crops, talk to neighbors, and go exploring, the musical score is such an integral part of the game that a Festival of Seasons tour was announced last month. However, demand has been so high that the developer has added in more dates.

In a recent post on the website-formerly-known-as-Twitter, Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has said the global orchestral tour has been expanded, adding new dates and locations.

Looking at the image, we can see additional shows have been added in Toronto, Los Angeles, Melbourne, London, and more. There are also now stops in New Zealand, Paris, Berlin, Manchester, Tokyo, and plenty of others. The tour will begin in Los Angeles on February 16. Tickets go on sale on December 1.

Might want to get yours in quick

The Stardew Valley tour is a celebration of the melodies that have become an iconic part of the farming simulator. The official website describes the upcoming event as an "intimate, immersive live concert featuring fresh arrangements of the most cherished songs from the game's mesmerizing soundtrack."

You may, however, need to get a move on if you do want tickets. Some of the major cities have already sold out, which is most likely what spurred the addition of extra days in these locations.

In other news, there's still no word on when the next major patch for Stardew Valley is inbound. Barone has said that update 1.6 is in development, but it will only be released when it's good and ready. And rightly so. The developer is also working on a new project, which we know next to nothing about other than it's called the Haunted Chocolatier.

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With the Stardew Valley orchestral tour kicking off in 2024, Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone's highly successful farm-based RPG is still a major talking point in gaming. One can't help but wonder whether the game will make its way into other aspects of pop culture, but that might be easier said than done.

You see, according to an interview with IGN, Barone is quite protective of the Stardew Valley brand. He says that he's wary about just "[handing] it over to someone" to make what they want with the IP. This is largely in reference to a potential movie adaptation of the game. While there isn't one in the works, Barone says he'd be interested in a big screen version if the right studio or director came along. However, he still says he would "need to be closely involved" with such a project.

Imagine Stardew Valley set in Twin Peaks

In particular, Barone would likely agree to an adaptation if he was approached by Studio Ghibli. In a somewhat tonal shift away from Japanese animation, he also said he would be happy if Eraserhead and Twin Peaks director David Lynch wanted to make a Stardew movie. Now, who wouldn't want to see that?

As for the game itself, we're anticipating a new update, which the developer has been teasing lately. We don't know when it's likely to roll out, but version 1.6 is said to be adding new dialogue, a new farm type, winter outfits for villagers, and more.

In any case, Stardew is still going strong, notable for having a huge amount of content for a small, independent game. Whether a film adaptation will ever see the light of day remains to be seen, but I'm wondering how Tarantino would portray a sleepy Pelican Town.

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iPads and iPhones may not be the first platform you associate with some of those bigger triple-A titles, but Apple continues pushing its devices as the go-to for more intense games. From Resident Evil 4 to Death Stranding, the newest phones and tablets will support more graphically intense games.

Yet this isn't the tech giant's first massive push into gaming. Apple Arcade has been around for several years and is home to mostly casual titles. At $5 a month, it's not a bad deal to download some time-killers when nothing else is around. Some are genuinely solid games, and the service has only improved its offerings since its 2014 debut.

As an iPhone and iPad user, I've used the service on and off, but now and again, something always draws me back in. Some of those deserve a spotlight — the underrated, convenient little gems accompanying me everywhere my phone goes. So, for those of you looking to expand your mobile library, I've got some recommendations.

DoDonPachi Ressurection's excellent Apple Arcade port

Getting my most biased choice out of the way, DoDonPachi Ressurection is arguably my favorite bullet hell game, and my first exposure to it was via its iOS port. Although I mostly play the Steam port now for more content, I prefer the mobile version's controls due to its simplicity.

With automated shooting, all the focus remains on movement, leaving only one hand needed to play. For an intense arcade game, it's incredibly comfortable to play casually. This is especially true in its smartphone mode but is also the case in the included straight arcade port.

Since it was also originally an arcade game, DoDonPachi Ressurection only takes about 40 minutes to finish. This makes it perfect for lengthy commutes, especially as skills improve on subsequent playthroughs. The soundtrack is a banger too, and one I highly recommend grabbing headphones for.

My recommendation does come from a bullet hell fan's perspective, but its accessibility on Apple Arcade leaves it open for anyone to try. DoDonPachi Ressurection is a heavenly bullet hell title, and hopefully one encouraging more people to try out more of the genre.

Game Dev Story is the perfect laid-back strategy game

As someone who enjoyed Game Dev Tycoon around a decade ago, seeing what is basically the same game on Apple Arcade was a treat. Game Dev Story's mobile version predates its similarly named counterpart by several years, so seeing the original take on a mobile device adds another layer to this pleasant surprise.

Game Dev Story follows the basic premise of building up an indie game company in the '80s. As the studio makes games and takes on contracts, new consoles will overtake older ones as players balance budgeting, employee management, and adapting to new tech.

Getting caught up in a single massive success can lead to some underserved confidence, but it's never too bad to start a new company after accidentally burning the previous one down. The longest any playthrough lasts is probably a few hours, so it's worth experimenting with risky projects.

It's a solid loop that's perfect for short gameplay bursts. Even longer sessions can be engaging when a streak of solid game releases gets going.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is Apple Arcade's surprise hit

Although its only home is on Apple Arcade, I count Hello Kitty Island Adventure as one of this year's pleasant surprises. My latest renewal for the subscription service is even because of it.

Island Adventure is best described as an open-world life sim. The player creates a character and helps various Sanrio characters fix up an amusement park and partake in cozy vibes. It emphasizes making friends and developing each character's story while being incredibly cute.

Half of the game's appeal is honestly based on how adorable it is. Sanrio knows how to make cute characters, and bunching them together for a laid-back adventure guarantees adorable shenanigans. Various quests and activities make Island Adventure surprisingly involved, eating up your time. From befriending the cast to swimming and crafting, there's much to do on the island Hello Kitty and friends reside on.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is the perfect game for anyone who wants something without tension. Sometimes, it's nice to get away from life's stresses and hang out as a cute animal person with your equally as cute, animal-people friends.

Stardew Valley is excellent no matter where it's played

Stardew Valley is arguably the most famous cozy game, tasking players with restoring their grandfather's farm after moving in. Despite releasing in 2016, it's still receiving updates that make it worth revisiting time after time again.

The iOS port of Stardew Valley is no exception since it's the full game but in a hand-held format. Everything from farming to relationship building and combat is here and as good as its PC and console counterparts. This means dozens of hours of content in a neat and relaxed package. Its slower pace also makes it easy to jump in and out at any time, even if it can be difficult not to sink your whole day into it.

While the mobile version's update schedule doesn't always fall in line with other platforms, Stardew patches have eventually launched on the iOS version and caught up. Regardless, this is a fantastic way to get into one of the most consistently popular farming games in recent memory.

Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat is a wonderful arcade-style rhythm game

Rhythm games are a genre that shines on mobile. Their quick pace and basic gameplay make them perfect for playing a few minutes of in-between other activities.

Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat is no exception to this, and it's just a lovely game. The taiko drum theme makes controls easy to learn as players focus on learning a particular song's rhythm. Its varying difficulties and range of control options also make it friendly for any newcomers to the genre.

The available tracks are varied, too — even if they skew toward J-pop, anime, and video game fans. It's still funny seeing Frozen's "Let it Go" alongside Kaneda's theme from Akira. Even more odd inclusions like "Baby Shark" mean not every song is a winner, but the growing song roster makes it easier to find a solid playlist to play with.

Of any Apple Arcade game, Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat is the easiest for me to return to. Its simple and engaging gameplay helps keep me occupied whenever I want a quick dopamine rush.

The post The best Apple Arcade games out right now appeared first on Destructoid.

Having played 100s of hours of Stardew Valley, I can say with certainty that the soundtrack is absolutely killer. Not only does it feature a combination of genuinely moving and upbeat tracks: but my wife and I also can't help but hum to the vast majority of the score. That's going to be a lot more exciting to do in person of course, when the Stardew Valley concert tour kicks off next year.

Announced by Stardew creator Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone themselves, the tour will begin on February 17, 2024 in Los Angeles, California, and end mid-to-late 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. The tour itself is called "Festival of Seasons," and will feature a chamber orchestra. ConcernedApe is heavily involved in the production, as the song choices have been "curated" by them, and will feature all four seasons of the valley.

2024 Stardew Valley tour dates and where to buy tickets

• February 17, 2024 - Los Angeles, CA - The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage (USA)
• February 23, 2024 - Boston, MA (USA) - Berklee Performance Center
• February 24, 2024 - Philadelphia, PA - Perelman Theatre (USA)
• February 29, 2024 - New Your City, NY - The Town Hall (USA)
• March 2, 2024 - Seattle, WA - Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall (USA)
• March 9, 2024 - Chicago, IL - The Vic (USA)
• March 10, 2024 - St. Louis, MO - The Sheldon (USA)
• March 15, 2024 - Toronto, ON - George Weston Recital Hall (Canada)
• March 17, 2024 - Montreal, QC - Cinquième Salle (Canada)
• April 5, 2024 - Melbourne, AU - Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (Australia)
• April 20, 2024 - Sydney, AU - Verbrugghen Hall (Australia)
• April 29, 2024 - London, UK - Cadogan Hall
• TBA 2024 - Seoul, KR - Venue TBD (South Korea)
• TBA 2024 - Bangkok, TH - Venue TBD (Thailand)

As you can see, the tour will be moving from the west coast to the east coast, then scattered around the US before moving to Canada. From there it'll head to Australia, then the UK, South Korea, and Thailand. Every concert is dated except for South Korea and Thailand, which have a "TBA" placeholder date thus far.

Tickets will be on sale on Friday, October 13, at 10AM "local time" of each city for the US, Canada, and the UK. For Melbourne, tickets will go up on that same date at 11AM local time, and Sydney tickets are for sale a little later on Friday October 20 at 11AM local time.

Tickets can be purchased here from the concert tour's official site. If I can make it, I can't wait to jam out to Spring (Wild Horseradish Jam) in person. Future runs are potentially on the table too, according to ConcernedApe: "it's possible, but would likely be part of a different, future tour. This is the first run and still kind of testing the waters"

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We're not sure when Stardew Valley's 1.6 update will arrive, but we've already had a sneak peek of what's to come. Recently, developer Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone returned to give us another tease as to what we might be getting in the hit farming simulator.

In a recent post on Twitter, the creative mind behind Stardew Valley has suggested that the game is going to be getting cats and dogs...wearing hats.

As you can imagine, many commenting under the post are positively giddy with cuteness overload, with one user referring to it as "the greatest moment in gaming history." While we don't yet know whether these headgear-dawning animals will appear in the next update, it's possible we could see them in version 1.6.

ONE'S EVEN WEARING A BOW!

The Twitter post has even prompted a reply from Whitney "Cenx" Spinks, the producer behind Re-Logic's Terraria. The message asks Barone to confide in a private message about the next patch's release date. In return, Cenx says they'll spill the beans on the release date for 1.4.5 of Terraria.

Who knows whether such an exchange will take place. In any case, a lot of people seem excited about the possibility of seeing a fedora-wearing canine walking about in Stardew Valley.

Barone has said that update 1.6 will only be releasing once they deem it ready (which is novel for this modern gaming industry). Whenever it does roll out, look forward to a new festival, more dialogue, winter outfits for villagers, new secrets, and more.

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A while ago, we were given some hints as to what to expect in Stardew Valley's 1.6 update. Now, Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has given us a sneak peek of what's actually coming to one of the best indie games ever made.

In a recent post on Twitter, the developer outlined a number of things coming to Stardew Valley. For starters, there's going to be a new "major festival" as well as some "mini festivals" as well.

There's also going to be more than 100 lines of new dialogue, a new farm type, winter outfits for villagers, and support for eight people playing multiplayer (on PC, at least). That's not everything either, as the post also says to expect "new secrets and more."

When's the update coming?

Barone has made it quite clear in that past that they don't want to rush the new Stardew Valley update. This is no exception, as the tweet says there's no release date yet and things are "still in development."

However, a post on Steam echoing the sneak peek states that version 1.6 is "close to being finished," but testing, polishing, and translations need to be complete before it's ready.

Alongside this, Barone is also working on a new project called Haunted Chocolatier. We still don't know much about this upcoming game, but it appears to feature a similar aesthetic to Stardew Valley.

For now, keep an eye out for update 1.6. We can only hope it'll be rolling out soon, but the developer has (rightly) said that it will release when it's ready and not a moment before.

The post Here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming to Stardew Valley in update 1.6 appeared first on Destructoid.

Stardew Valley remains among the most beloved indie games of the past decade, and its content updates over the years help maintain its popularity. Developer ConcernedApe fuels the farming fanfare with additions both big and small, and it looks like he's teasing another.

The newest of these teases is an image of a parrot on top of a blue perch. It's a cute picture, but the bird's demand for money and capital J on the perch implies there's more to it.

Fans noted these features and ascribed them to Jojamart, the supermarket chain that works as Stardew Valley's antagonist. Blue is the company's primary color and is transparently greedy just as this bird seems to be.

Stardew Valley's farm-hungry community also noted the tropical setting, leading some to speculate that Joja reached Ginger Island. Some assume Jojamart expanded into Ginger Island, so its reach goes beyond Pelican Town. Others speculate that the parrot is an upcoming incentive for players to pursue working with Jojamart.

Whatever the answer is, ConcernedApe is keeping mum about the situation. Whether it's for Stardew Valley's 1.6 updates or screenshots from the upcoming Haunted Chocolatier, any context given is often vague.

It's an effective way to stir up Stardew chatter, as fans get a look into an upcoming project only to have more questions than answers. I'm among them, so I eat these teasers up while coming up with my own wild theories.

Part of me gets annoyed these teasers have no elaboration, but it also adds to the fun of wondering. Whatever the answer is, a parrot demanding money from players fits right in with all of Stardew Valley's oddities. As for when we'll see the bird, no one knows for now. Stardew Valley version 1.6 doesn't have a release date yet.

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Despite its simple mechanics and SNES-like aesthetics (or perhaps because of them), Stardew Valley is one of the most beloved indie games to come out in recent years. As such, fans have been keen on whether developer Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone can follow this with the upcoming game, Haunted Chocolatier.

Not much is known about their next project, but Barone recently posted an image from the new title. It doesn't show much, but it's a kind of tease, and it's giving people Stardew Valley vibes.

https://twitter.com/ConcernedApe/status/1699121826948079851

Featuring the visual style of ConcernedApe's magnum opus, the screenshot shows an unnamed, wizened man who says they were "just having the most terrible dream." Under this image on Twitter, some have commented that it reminds them of Grandpa from Stardew Valley. One person theorized that the new game is set in the same universe and Grandpa has gifted a chocolate shop instead of a farm.

He's not dead, he's just sleeping

We don't know a great deal about Haunted Chocolatier, other than you'll be running a confectionary place. It's also going for that Harvest Moon-inspired look, which worked out well for Stardew.

Alongside the new project, Barone is also working on update 1.6 for Stardew Valley, so it's clearly going to be a busy time for them. We may not hear about the new game for a while longer.

However, that doesn't stop people from asking when the new update for Stardew is likely to drop. The developer says they "don't want any pressure," so we'll all have to be a little patient before we hear further details about Haunted Chocolatier.

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It’s impressive when someone manages to create a beloved game experience on their own; or at the very least with a small team. Such was the case with Stardew Valley, and its developer Eric Barone, also known by the pseudonym "ConcernedApe." What’s even more impressive than that, though, is how that experience was converted into a highly coveted board game. While Stardew Valley: The Board Game was available for a limited run, it's coming back very soon.

https://twitter.com/ConcernedApe/status/1696958789717803020

According to a social media post from ConcernedApe themselves, a new printing of Stardew Valley: The Board Game will be available for pre-order on September 5. Units are expected to be shipped in "October" of 2023. ConcernedApe clarified in the replies that each copy will set players back $50 USD, but shipping will be free. 

According to the game’s official website, they will only be shipped to addresses in the US, but select game stores in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the EU, and the UK may have copies available.

Stardew Valley: The Board Game is a cooperative, multiplayer game where you and a group of farmers will work together to save the titular valley from the evil Joja Corporation. Players can farm, fish, and acquire resources to make protecting the magical Stardew Valley much easier. 

How long does it take to play Stardew Valley: The Board Game?

According to the game’s official website, it will take approximately 45 minutes per player to play Stardew Valley: The Board Game. The team behind the tabletop edition has emphasized its general challenge level, and “if your game group or family prefers short playtimes (less than 45 minutes) with a small number of rules and components, this game might not be a good fit,” so take from that what you will!

The post A new round of Stardew Valley board game pre-orders is coming appeared first on Destructoid.

Pelican Town is getting more love

After more than seven years, Stardew Valley is still bringing in new players. With its charming and retro look, chill vibe, and host of activities to partake in, it provides a little something different that few popular games these days can offer: a truly unwinding experience. And it was all made by one person.

It's not surprising that it's considered by many to be one of the greatest indie games to come out in recent years. Now, the developer - Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone - has announced what's coming in the 1.6 update. While this next update will be bringing changes for modders, it's nice to see there's some content coming to the game itself.

https://twitter.com/ConcernedApe/status/1681081013538267138

A post on their Twitter page lays out roughly what you can expect in the next major patch. For one thing, there's going to be a new festival (no details about what it'll be, though), some new items, extra dialogue, some secrets, and the "???" at the bottom of the list implies there's even more in the pipeline.

Fishing is where it's at

I must confess, I've only just started getting into Stardew Valley recently. After just a few hours, it's easy to see why it's such a popular game. Whether it's fishing in the river, diving deep into caves, or tending to crops, what ConcernedApe has done for the indie community is give us a modern take on such classics as Harvest Moon (which Stardew Valley was partly inspired by).

Currently, we don't know when version 1.6 will be rolling out, but hopefully, it'll be soon. Barone is also said to be working on a new project called Haunted Chocolatier, which they've been teasing since 2021. There's no way to tell whether it will be able to top Stardew Valley, but the new game appears to be on pause for a bit while the next update for Stardew is being worked on.

The post Stardew Valley getting new festival, items, and more in 1.6 appeared first on Destructoid.

Sleep tight, Junimo!

Seven years later, Stardew Valley is still full of surprises. User youkaymelis on the StardewValley subreddit has over 2000 hours in the game and still just recently discovered something new. Apparently, when decorating your house you can position the decorative plushies and place them inside a bed to get a pretty cute result.

https://www.reddit.com/r/StardewValley/comments/14ukq4o/i_have_over_2000_hours_in_this_game_and_just/

According to youkaymelis, this newly found secret is pretty easy to replicate. "I just upgraded the house in my newest file so I was moving things around and tried to put the bear in the middle of the beds like I always do but I moved the wrong and he wound up in the bed and I was like !!!!!! If you just face the bed and place it, it should pop right in!" the experienced Stardew Valley player stated.

All hail ConcernedApe

Remember just how amazing of a feat this is. Stardew is the creation of a lone developer, Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone. Despite releasing in 2016, it still receives updates with version 1.6 coming this year. Even with tons of content, it's an impressive feat that someone with over 2,000 hours in Stardew can still find something new.

Secrets are no stranger to Stardew fans. Many have been found over the years, and recently the developer has even stated there was at least one secret yet to be discovered by fans even after all this time. Is this the new secret? Only time will tell, but it's a cool discovery regardless!

The next game from ConcernedApe, Haunted Chocolatier, is sure to have just as much content. It's already been in development for at least a couple of years now. The developer claims it certainly won't be a sequel to Stardew Valley, but might have some shared love. There is no release date yet for Haunted Chocolatier, but ConcernedApe has confirmed he continues to work on it after the Stardew Valley 1.6 update.

The post New Secret: You can tuck in your plushies in Stardew Valley! appeared first on Destructoid.

Alongside a few other notable indies

Apple Arcade continues to truck on, as Apple can likely prop it up through thick and thin, no matter how lean the offerings might be at any given time. The powerhouse publisher has a lot to celebrate come July though, as Apple has confirmed that Stardew Valley will be hitting the service on July 21.

It's the main event (as far as I'm concerned), and I can't stop booting it up year-after-year, whether it's for a quick solo adventure or a multiplayer family outing.

Other games coming to Apple Arcade in July 2023, including one surprise

Beyond Stardew Valley, the Apple Arcade service is getting a few more additions:

• Hello Kitty Island Adventure
• Slay the Spire
• LEGO Duplo World
• Ridiculous Fishing EX

So the last one might stick out a bit, given that Vlambeer, the studio behind the viral arcade fishing hit, closed in 2020.

Speaking to Polygon, co-founder Rami Ismail shed some light on the situation, noting:

“Vlambeer remains closed, The both of us did collaborate on this, so we decided to keep it under the brand of Vlambeer, but we don’t expect more collaborations like this. The two of us, Zach Gage, and Greg Wohlwend just couldn’t resist the opportunity of revisiting the game that catapulted our careers — and having an opportunity to approach the game anew without the catch of the clones, and with 10 years of development experience. The team immediately realized that to do a proper take on the game for the modern day, we also wanted to bring aboard the creative powerhouses at KO_OP for their signature style of playfulness, to bring the game to life.”

It's great to see that the original creators were involved in this, rather than the classic tale of a rights-holding publisher forcing the IP to rise from the dead.

The post Stardew Valley is coming to Apple Arcade appeared first on Destructoid.

It'll be "easier to mod" after 1.6

It's hard to believe that Stardew Valley came out in early 2016: but no matter how many times I go through the process of recalling when it actually came out, I'm still shocked by it. It feels like such a big part of the overall gaming landscape and the successful indie narrative; and I still play it yearly with a fairly sizable group of people. And it's still going, too! Stardew boss Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone tweeted out an update on Stardew Valley version 1.6, and it's still going ahead as planned (albeit with their next project on pause for a bit).

Here's the full update from ConcernedApe themselves (as a reminder, Haunted Chocolatier is the next game from ConcernedApe, and has been teased periodically since late 2021):

"There is going to be a Stardew 1.6 update. It's mostly changes for modders (which will make it easier & more powerful to mod). But there is also new game content, albeit much less than 1.5. I'm taking a break from Haunted Chocolatier to work on this at the moment. Then back to HC."

Responding to a fan, we got one more tidbit about what 1.6 will entail:

"...The new update will have some more dialogues. [W]orking on it as we speak!"

They also doled out a bit more info on Haunted Chocolatier:

"The town is on the water and there are docks."

It really showcases just how big the fanbase is for ConcernedApe when that simple statement causes a speculative feeding frenzy. I mean, even if it just has a small amount of gameplay content, I'll be fully replaying it!

My guess is that ConcernedApe will never truly shake the siren's song of Stardew: and will do small updates here and there indefinitely. If that ends up being the case, you love to see it.

The post Stardew Valley 1.6 reconfirmed, will include “new game content” appeared first on Destructoid.

Good things come to those who wait

Fans of the modern classic farming simulator that is Stardew Valley, and likely its massive 1.5 update which added mountains of new content to the game, will be thrilled to hear that the expansion is finally available on mobile platforms. The update first released on PC back in 2020, and mobile players have been asking when they'll get a chance to check it out ever since. Eric Barone, the solo developer behind the title, tweeted out on January 6th that the 1.5 update had been submitted for review on iOS and Android platforms. The update had some issues in its first few days as players reported various bugs, but Barone has already rolled out at least one patch to fix the most glaring problems.

https://twitter.com/ConcernedApe/status/1611612814271184899

It's easy to miss, but in the thread of replies following that initial tweet, Barone said that the re-write of the game's app that was required to make the 1.5 update work should make things "easier to update mobile in the future (for 1.6 and who knows...)." We have no idea what the 1.6 update would entail — it could simply be more basic bug fixes, although the fans (myself included) would be happy to guess that it's another content update, or maybe even multiplayer.

Either way, it's great to see Barone still has plenty of love to give to his debut title, even as he's working on another upcoming release, Haunted Chocolatier.

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'We need 1 more week to ensure quality'

Although folks on the majority of Stardew Valley platforms have been enjoying update 1.5 for quite a while now, the mobile edition still needs one final push. That was supposed to come by the end of the year, but a new tweet from developer Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has some insight into the final, final deadline for the patch.

Here's the full context from the tweet:

"MOBILE: The porting team and I have been working extremely hard this past week on the 1.5 update. We're so close. We could probably release right now. But we need 1 more week to ensure quality. I accept full responsibility for not hitting the end of year target."

As far as I'm concerned: no worries! Stardew Valley has earned so much good will at this point, that folks can wait a bit more for an update. It helps that the game is also on basically every platform under the sun, so there are options available.

That said, it's admirable to see Barone taking responsibility, even if it's not needed. This whole saga has been a masterclass on transparency and communication; and how developers can opt to treat their fans in an era of nonsense, especially given how Stardew basically gives everything out for free.

https://twitter.com/ConcernedApe/status/1608709035318206465

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Production still continues for Haunted Chocolatier, too

There are so many moving parts at this point for Stardew Valley, it can be tough to keep track of! Basically, most versions have welcomed the packed 1.5 update a while back: except mobile. But that's still set to change by the end of the year.

Here's the full picture from developer Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone, recently shared on Twitter:

"Hey everyone, happy 'ween (spirit's eve). I know I haven't been too active lately, but don't worry, I'm still here. And mobile 1.5 update is still on track for what I said last: 'Before the end of the year.' Thank you"

"What they said last" was roughly three months ago: but in this era of constant delays and production issues, it's great to have a more up-to-date window. When asked about progress on Haunted Chocolatier by a fan, Barone reminded folks that they were working on it (citing "yeah a little" when quizzed on whether or not they've been working on spooky in-game ghosts), so there's a lot to be done and micro-manage.

Barone has thankfully fostered a healthy environment of patience, as Stardew Valley fans trust in the process, and recognize Barone's limitations as a mostly solo developer. It's a great place to be, but they've earned that trust.

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"When it's ready"

This past weekend, Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone took to Twitter to give us an update on Stardew Valley 1.6, as well as the 1.5 mobile situation.

Funnily enough, roughly a year ago Barone wasn't quite ready to confirm update 1.6, but it's still on the way nonetheless. We didn't get a release window, but rather, a re-confirmation that it's still being worked on: "no target release date... just when it's ready."

There's another part of this story too. Several months ago, Barone had mentioned that update 1.5 could hit mobile platforms "by the end of the year." While they didn't have any specific date in mind with this newest tweet, they did explain that it is still coming, and "will be out before 1.6." For those of you lapsed players, update 1.5 is quite significant, as our own Jordan Devore explains: "Update 1.5 includes Ginger Island, a new getaway to explore and expand, as well as numerous improvements to the core game. You can have a fish tank, watch ducks swim, move your bed, sit on chairs, raise ostriches, and try a beach farm layout...the list goes on."

Of course, all of this is happening while Barone is working on Haunted Chocolatier, as a small indie outfit. "When it's ready" indeed! As far as I'm concerned, this game has already been worth its weight in gold, even if update 1.6 never comes out.

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A flood of cozy simulators in the wake of Stardew's success

It feels like with every new batch of gaming news streams we get, they’re accompanied by memes about whichever game genre dominates the announcements and updates. Over the summer, there was an endless stream of dark space marine shooters, and after the news streams that rolled through this week, it seems there’s a new genre taking over the industry for the next few months: farming simulators.

Ooblets, I Am Future, Dreamlight Valley, Potion Permit, Bear and Breakfast, Witchbrook, My Time at Portia, Wytchwood, Homestead Arcana, Little Witch in the Woods, Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life — the list of upcoming or newly released farming/community sims never-ending these days. This is excellent news for me, considering it’s one of my favorite genres ever, and you can bet your bottom dollar I’m playing as many of them as I can.

Why was Stardew so popular?

While farming/community sims have been around for a long, long time, I think we can accredit a lot of their recent resurgence to the success of one stellar indie game: Stardew Valley. It’s one of those games that’s simple enough to pick up and start playing regardless of your skill level and even regardless of where you are in any given save file, yet still complex enough for players to challenge themselves and min-max the crap out of it if they want to.

The controls are simple and you can run it on anything, which means it’s available (as well as affordably priced) on every conceivable platform. The game has fostered a rich modding community, who enjoy putting a fresh spin on the gameplay, story, characters, aesthetics, and so on.

Plus, it’s the passion project of a single developer, and has all of the charm and care you might expect from someone who truly loves what they’re making. All of these elements came together to not just create an unforgettable game, but a full-on cultural phenomenon that swept through the industry and made Stardew one of the most beloved and successful indie games of all time.

Cause and effect

If my hypothesis is correct, that means that now over six years after its release, we are seeing Stardew Valley’s influence ripple through the industry — hence the wave of cozy farming/community simulators. Of course, we have to give credit where it’s due to series like Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons for paving the way for this once niche genre to break further into the mainstream, but I truly believe Stardew is what pushed it over the edge due to its universal appeal and subsequent popularity.

So now we have a wave of all kinds of games that are putting their own spin on the classic farming/community sim formula, which is a ton of fun to see. Just like shooters or RPGs take the mechanical motifs of their genre and try to do something no one has quite seen before down to the most minute level, simulators are seeing the same level of impassioned scrutiny.

Video games are still an incredibly young medium compared to film, television, literature, or even their older cousin, tabletop games. As someone who has studied patterns and whole movements that form in media, I can’t express how cool it is to see developers explore the intricacies of a newer genre and create something new.

Carving a new path

So for example, most of these games are going to have mechanics like farming, mining, fishing, cooking, crafting, befriending townspeople, etc., but the combination in how these mechanics are implemented and influence each other will always be unique. Each game will have different economic and social systems for the player to interact with that will lead to different outcomes.

It’s like how a lot of games like BioShock, Mass Effect, and Dishonored, for example, have some kind of magic mechanic to supplement weapons that we know and recognize, like guns, daggers, etc. While we’re familiar with the motif of magic supplementing familiar weapons, each game that implements its own kind of magic will use that magic slightly differently — what the magic can do will be different, the cost of that magic will be different (usually utilizing some kind of mana system, which can also have an infinite number of variations), and so on. There are a lot of layers here.

My point is, we have enough farming simulators now that by nature of a saturated (and nearly oversaturated) market, developers are forced to think creatively when it comes to using the mechanics in the toolbox of their genre to create as engaging of an experience as possible.

Then we get games like Cult of the Lamb or Ooblets, which combine community simulation with an action roguelike and farming simulation with Pokémon-style animal companion battling, respectively. Like storytelling, the key to making fresh and exciting games is finding new ways to combine and implement elements we already love.

It’s one thing to study that phenomenon in retrospect, but it’s another to see it happen in real time. Regardless of what some people say, I think this is a very, very exciting time for games — especially farming simulators.

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"I haven't nailed down exactly to what degree the two will be connected" says creator

Stardew Valley creator Eric ConcernedApe Barone is at it again, blowing up the internet with a single screenshot of Haunted Chocolatier. And some tweets! This week, they mused on how Haunted Chocolatier lore could be connected to their prior project.

After sharing a single screenshot from Haunted Chocolatier, Barone noted some hours later that "someone pointed out the perspective looks kinda weird around the passageway, and on the drop down spots." Agreeing, they shored up the area and shared a live screen of the improvement. They clarified that they use Paint [dot] net as a tool for pixel art, and changing objects is akin to "re-drawing stuff," which is "time consuming." There's "no engine," as it's "all from scratch again," though they are using Monogame framework instead of XNA.

From there, Barone continues to do a Q&A session of sorts on Twitter, responding to a fan that they "don't know" if the game will come to mobile, before tweeting "probably not, to be honest" (likely fueled by their experience with Stardew on mobile). When asked if the character design of what appears to be the main character is final, Barone replied: "Nothing is final," at the moment and they are "in the middle of everything." They re-iterate that "it's not a farming game," though there might be "some plant cultivation."

This, however, is perhaps the most interesting part: "It's gonna be its own separate game with a self-contained identity... it's not a 'Stardew [Valley] 2.' But there might be some shared lore, I haven't nailed down exactly to what degree the two will be connected." The secrets of the Haunted Chocolatier lore grow stronger every update! Having the game be completely unique with some hat tips for fans to enjoy is probably for the best.

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The long-awaited update is 'making very good progress,' according to ConcernedApe

While fans have understandably grown impatient waiting for the much-later Stardew Valley 1.5 mobile update, the game's creator assures us that it is still on the way. In the latest status check, Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone said on Twitter that 1.5 may be ready before the end of 2022 — a far-off ETA, for sure, but something to latch onto at least.

"The 1.5 update for [Stardew Valley] mobile is making very good progress," he tweeted. "It should be out before the end of the year. Mobile players... thanks for your patience."

Update 1.5 includes Ginger Island, a new getaway to explore and expand, as well as numerous improvements to the core game. You can have a fish tank, watch ducks swim, move your bed, sit on chairs, raise ostriches, and try a beach farm layout. The list goes on.

[caption id="attachment_337736" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Ginger Islands is one of the best parts of Stardew Valley.}[/caption]

From the sound of it, all Barone can really do is relay and reiterate information as the Stardew Valley porting team continues working on the expansive update. And, in the meantime, he's busy working on his upcoming life-sim game, Haunted Chocolatier.

Whenever the day comes, there's going to be a huge sigh of relief. Android and iOS players have been waiting for anything concrete, and with today's news, we're getting there.

This is the kind of long-lasting game that players (and the creator) can't seem to walk away from, and update 1.5, in particular, is a culmination of everything it represents as a wholesome slice-of-life experience. I've said it before and I'll say it again — Ginger Island is a highlight, and it's wild that it's a free update. I loved searching for collectibles.

_{[Image credit: Nico-Kun]}

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Spice up your next trip to Pelican Town

Stardew Valley is one of my most-played games of all time, with hundreds of hours across four different platforms, but eventually, I reached a point where I was burned out on the vanilla experience. Thankfully, Stardew has one of the most robust modding communities out there, with well over 400 pages on Nexus Mods alone.

There are tons of mods that can help with quality-of-life stuff, or just help you straight-up cheat, like the Item Spawner or NPC Map Locations mods, but if you really want to make Stardew Valley feel brand new in look or feel, we've compiled a list of some of the best content and reskin mods for the game out there.

Stardew Valley Expanded

As one of the most popular Stardew mods to date, Stardew Valley Expanded is a must for anyone who's looking to give the game a new life. This massive mod includes 27 new NPCs, 50 new locations, 260 character events, 27 fish, reimagined areas from the base game, new farm maps, as well as new music, questlines, objects, crops, festivals, and more. This one could keep you busy for another few hundred hours at least.

Ridgeside Village

Ridgeside Village is yet another huge story expansion mod that lets you explore a whole other town. There are over 50 new NPCs to get to know, new items, shops, festivals, music, quests — you name it. Similar to Stardew Valley Expanded, Ridgeside Village makes the game feel brand new again, and I know I for one love the idea of getting to romance some fresh new NPCs.

Aesthetic Valley – Cottagecore

Part of why so many of us love Stardew Valley is because it delivers on the small-town, cozy lifestyle that many of us are craving. To make your time in Pelican Town feel even more whimsical, you can download this reskin mod that makes everything look like an adorable cottagecore dream.

Pelican Fiber

If you're feeling a little bit lazier, you can always download the Pelican Fiber mod. The idea is that Joja has installed high-speed internet in the town, so you can do everything you could possibly want from the comfort of your own home. Thanks to Pelican Fiber, you can upgrade your tools, request buildings from Robin, buy hats, and so much more, all without having to step foot out your front door.

Starblue Valley

If you like the idea of a recolor but want something that looks a little more natural, Starblue Valley is probably more your speed. It keeps with the original color scheme of the base game, but mostly just turns down the saturation to make the colors look a little more like real life. Not quite as much fun if you ask me, but it's perfect for the realists out there.

Pelican Postal Service

Stardew is known for being pretty similar to Animal Crossing because of its pacing and community simulator gameplay, so why not install a mod that makes it a little more like Animal Crossing? The Pelican Postal Service mod allows you to send mail to your friends, and of course, you can mail them presents if you want.

Canon-friendly Dialogue Expansion

Establishing relationships with the townsfolk is one of the most fun and wholesome parts of Stardew Valley, but after you play for a while, the dialogue can start to feel a bit stale. Thanks to this dialogue expansion mod, there's a whole lot more to talk about, and it even promises to be canon-friendly.

Fantasy Crops

Once you've played through Stardew a few times, having to go to the mines to gather resources — or God forbid Skull Cavern — can feel like a bit of a hassle. Thanks to the Fantasy Crops mod, you'll be able to grow your very own resources at home as crops, including coal, gold, and yes, even iridium.

Deep Woods

Stardew players know the map like the back of their hand, but if you're someone who's looking to add a little bit more mystery and exploration into their playthrough, the Deep Woods mod might be for you. It adds a procedurally generated forest where the Secret Woods usually are, turning them into basically what mines are, but like, a forest. The mod's creator warns that the Deep Woods are pretty challenging, meant to add to the late game, so don't go wandering in too soon!

Blue Grass Recolor

Don't get me wrong, I think Stardew Valley is a beautiful game, but sometimes I just really don't vibe with the color scheme it has going on — especially that bright yellow color of the dirt. There are plenty of recolor mods out there to remedy this situation, and Blue Grass Recolor happens to be one of my favorites. It washes the world in beautiful pastels, including turning the grass blue in the summer.

Medieval Buildings

The buildings in Stardew have a quaint, cozy feeling to them, but after your second or third playthrough, they can start to feel a bit boring. If you want to add a whimsical, timeless feeling to the structures around your farm, the Medieval Buildings mod is a great option.

Better Toddler Mod

I never really thought about it, but now that someone brings it up, it is pretty weird that your kids in the game never really look like you or your spouse. Thanks to the Better Toddler mod, now your little tikes will look just like the NPC you chose to wed, or you can just customize them to look like whatever you want.

Multiple Spouses

Hate having to choose which NPC you want to romance on any given playthrough? Now you don't have to! With the Multiple Spouses mod, you can not only marry multiple NPCs, but you can date while you're married, date previously non-dateable NPCs, and even have amicable relationships with your ex-spouses.

Anime Character Portraits

Don't get me wrong, ConcernedApe is a fantastic artist, but I've seen some character portrait mods out there that completely revamp the look of the game. One option you can go for is the anime reskin, which makes all of the NPCs look like they're fresh out of your favorite shounen. The dream boats of Pelican Town just got even dreamier.

Expanded Climates

If you're looking for a little bit more variation in the weather you can experience in Pelican Town, look no further than the expanded climates mod. This Stardew Valley mod adds fog, dry lightning, blizzards, and even whiteouts, which can even add a new degree of difficulty to the game — you know, because you can't see. This could be a fun way to bring out your inner survivalist on your next playthrough.

Rustic Country Town Interiors

If you're one to want to alter how your buildings look on the exterior, don't forget the interiors as well! This Rustic Country Town Interiors mod mellows out the colors on the inside of buildings, making for a nice aesthetic that ties in well with other recolor and visual mods. The Saloon's new look is my personal favorite, complete with ornate bar stools and a longhorn skull hanging on the wall by the jukebox.

Hotspring Farm Cave

I'll be honest, a lot of the time I forget that the cave on my farm even exists, and I end up getting mushrooms or fruit elsewhere so I don't use it all that much when I do remember it. If you find yourself in the same boat, why not turn that dark, dank cave into a relaxing hot spring experience? With the Hot Spring Farm Cave mod, you have your own private spot to take a dip, and you can even plant some crops down there.

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Just don't expect another 'huge' update

Even with Haunted Chocolatier on the horizon, the creator of Stardew Valley can't seem to step away from the farm-sim life for good, and we love him for it. Update 1.5 was a banger. With a whole new island to explore and expand, plus plenty of small but impactful quality-of-life enhancements, it could've gone down as the game's "final update" — it felt like it. But what are the odds of Stardew Valley 1.6? ConcernedApe says it's coming.

Responding to a fan on Twitter, the developer said that Stardew Valley will get a 1.6 update — though we should keep our expectations in check. It'll be focused on making modders' lives "easier," and while there will be "some new content," it won't be "huge."

Mods can future-proof the game

Considering how healthy the mod-creating (and playing) Stardew Valley community has become, that's really encouraging to hear. As much as ConcernedApe probably will continue building up Stardew himself, at a certain point, mods will fully take over as the gift that keeps on giving. I know there's a lot of good stuff out there, but I've yet to get into mods, and I feel like plenty of Stardew Valley's millions of players fall into the same camp.

It would be nice to see the best mods front and center in a more "official" capacity, to make it as easy as possible for less-experienced players who are craving more content. If you know where to look, sure, they're out there. They're great! That said, plenty of people are quietly enjoying the game with no knowledge of mods even as a basic concept.

[caption id="attachment_331741" align="alignnone" width="1799"] _{The popular Stardew Valley Expanded mod.}[/caption]

ConcernedApe hasn't committed to Stardew 1.7

As for a possible Stardew Valley 1.7? "Who knows." (So... the door is cracked?!)

You can't really talk about Stardew Valley updates without also acknowledging mobile players who are still waiting on version 1.5. Every time someone asks, ConcernedApe says that it hasn't been "abandoned," but it has been held up by outside factors.

"It's kind of complicated, but involves a legal/business issue which I can't really get into, the necessity to have a whole new team work on it, and then multiple setbacks and missed deadlines due to people being unfamiliar with the code or underestimating the difficulty," he said in May. This game has so much goodwill, but it's hard to be patient.

On Twitter this week, ConcernedApe also touched on Haunted Chocolatier, noting that the new life simulation game will reference Stardew — but "how deep the connection will be" is up in the air. The designer intends for Haunted Chocolatier to "have its own identity."

_{[Image Credit: chaoscara]}

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Respect the drip

One of the principles of good character design is recognizability, and part of that is what a character is wearing. Can you tell which character it's supposed to be just based on their outfit? Better yet, can you tell who they are based on one article of clothing? It's not a coincidence that the most iconic pieces of clothing in video games also come from some of the best titles ever made.

Fashion has been a pretty casual hobby for me, but it really is something I love — the clothes we choose to wear can tell the world so much about us, and in this case, the clothes that the developers choose for the characters in games tell us a lot about them.

Some examples that immediately come to mind for me are Chell's jumpsuit from Portal, Clementine's hat from The Walking Dead, or Mayor Lewis' purple shorts from Stardew Valley — you know the ones.

[caption id="attachment_331312" align="aligncenter" width="633"] _{Clementine's hat from The Walking Dead.}[/caption]

The great thing about iconic video game clothing is that a good deal of it is wearable in real life, so we get a bunch of awesome replicas of memorable pieces. I'm also a huge fan of stealthy merch that has a cool design, but would only be recognized as something from a video game if you know about that game. Insert Coin Clothing makes some awesome stuff in that vein, and for that reason it's been a favorite of mine for years — it's where I got my replica of Joel's green flannel from The Last of Us, among other things.

Our favorite fits come to life

Of course, for those who have a little bit more disposable income, there are more upscale options for real-life video game clothes. Disco Elysium's developer ZA/UM has put out a line of clothes from the game, which is fitting considering the clothes become a pretty significant piece of the gameplay. The replica of Kim Kitsuragi's orange bomber jacket has been living rent-free in my mind since it dropped a while back, but I haven't had the opportunity to snag it due to its price point and the fact that it sells out so damn fast.

[caption id="attachment_331313" align="alignnone" width="1024"] _{Leon's jacket from Resident Evil 4 (2023).}[/caption]

If you're really looking to flex on your gamer friends, American retailer Schott has a real-life version of Leon Kennedy's classic wool and suede bomber jacket from the Resident Evil 4 remake, which fans spotted after the company had a disclaimer at the end of the game's reveal trailer. Leon's jacket is officially called the Classic B-3 Sheepskin Leather Bomber Jacket, and it's available via Schott's website for a tight $1,500. I'm not really sure if Schott designed the jacket after the game, or if Capcom used the design for the remake, but either way, it looks like it would make for a pretty sweet fit.

These are just the video game clothes that I love, but the list goes on and on from here. We want to know, what are your favorite articles of clothing from a video game? Do you own any? Is there anything you wish you could wear, even if it seems impossible?

Let's discuss in the comments below!

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You had me at Stardew meets Spirited Away

Simulators are a huge part of the gaming industry, and they've especially been seeing some love for the past few years after the success of games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Stardew Valley. This year it seems like there are more sims than ever, and simulators are one of my all-time favorite gaming genres, so I'm over the moon about it. Out of all the trailers for simulators we've seen this year, one that caught my eye was Spirittea, which is being developed by Cheesemaster Games and published by No More Robots. The logline is that it's Stardew meets Spirited Away, which was automatically enough to get me on board. I played the demo, and so far, things look pretty promising.

What's Spirittea's premise?

It's the classic moving-from-a-big-city-to-a-small-town story that community sims tend to have, only when you get there, you drink some special tea that allows you to see into the spirit world. Spooky! After drinking the tea, an adorable floating cat friend named Radish (how adorable!) comes to greet you, and tells you that you have been tasked with running the bathhouse on the mountain that has stood abandoned for years.

From there, most of the demo is your first day of working at the bathhouse, which leans heavily into management simulator territory. You are tasked with keeping the boiler full of fresh firewood to warm the bath water, washing and drying towels for the guests, showing guests to the bath, putting salts into the bath water… you get the idea. I used to play a lot of those Diner Dash beauty salon spinoffs on my iPod Touch back in the day, so it was pretty familiar territory there. 

A relaxing management sim

There's a mechanic in there too where each of the spirits that visits you corresponds with a season, and the spirits have a preference of where they sit in the bath (and who sits next to them) based on that season. It's up to the player to figure out which season goes with which spirit and keep them happy according to their category. I didn't have enough time to figure all of that out while playing the demo, but I know it's an extra level of management sim challenge that I'll be looking forward to contending with in the full game.

Spirittea also alludes to being able to purchase upgrades to make your bath-tending life easier, and I imagine those become pretty handy when there's a lot of game left to explore. Outside of the bathhouse, there's a whole, adorable little town to explore that's full of townspeople. Unfortunately, none of them would talk to me during the demo because I had important bathhouse duties to tend to. That leaves yet another feature of Spirittea to look forward to, because making friends in community simulators is one of my favorite things about sims games.

Much more of Spirittea to look forward to!

I also have to mention the art and music — the whole time I was playing, I was bopping along to the soundtrack because it was just delightful. It fit the atmosphere perfectly, and it was catchy enough that I noticed I was enjoying it, but not so much that it was distracting. The pixel art was also gorgeous, and definitely had me looking forward to spending more time exploring the town and the surrounding area.

I still have a lot of questions about Spirittea, and the jury's still out on whether it will fully scratch my Stardew itch, but from what I've seen so far, I'm excited to give the full game a shot once it's out. All we have by way of a release date right now is a "Coming Soon" on the Steam page, so for now, it'll just be sitting pretty on my wishlist.

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Back to the farm

Nintendo has been struggling to provide Switch Online perks to users for some time, but one such perk is occasional game trials: sparing preview versions of full games during certain windows. The next one will be a Stardew Valley Switch Online trial, limited to Australia, Europe, and Japan currently (NA is expected to get it at some point).

With my European and Japanese Switch accounts (they're helpful for reporting!), I was able to see the notification in the "news" sections at the bottom of the Switch UI. The trial will run from June 13 (12:00 JST) through June 19 (17:59 JST). Australia even has an eShop page up for it.

If you somehow haven't played Stardew Valley yet, now is the time, provided you're able to take part in the trial. It's tough to really put into words how magical this game is that hasn't already been said, but suffice to say a few hours with it should give you a clue as to whether or not you're going to be spending another 100 hours with it.

Also note that you should be able to take advantage of the extra My Nintendo mission points once the trial is live. As a reminder, if you want physical rewards, you can find our full Platinum Point guide here, which has been updated with details on weekly missions: bookmark it for when you need quick points for a reward.

[Update: As expected, this Stardew Valley Switch Online trial offer was added to the North American region this week. It'll run from June 14 at 10AM PT until June 20 at 11:59PM PT. The game will also be 20% off during this time, and you can get 100 Platinum Points for participating in the trial.]

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Telling stories through the dishes we love

Food. It's one of the most quintessential parts of being alive, so it only makes sense that we would find a way to include it in a medium like video games that often tries to replicate real life.

Ever since the early days of gaming, food has been a way to get health or energy back. The first thing that comes to mind when I think about video game food has to be the meat you find in the walls of a spooky castle in Castlevania, or the hilariously anachronistic gyro and fries you can pick up in Hades. It's something that can seem really silly on the face of it, and the way we use food for health in video games has been memed and parodied to death. Admittedly, it is very funny to imagine your character in a game stopping in the middle of a scuffle to shove fourteen wheels of cheese into their face before diving back into the fight.

But when you think about it, is there any other analogy that works better? I don't think so. Food is our fuel, it's what gives us energy to do the things we need to do — a simple, given fact of life that is still somehow easy for me to forget on an almost daily basis.

Cooking is the name of the game

[caption id="attachment_256206" align="alignnone" width="1280"] _{Cooking Mama: Cookstar.}[/caption]

While food remains an important mechanic to most games out there, we also have games that place their entire focus on food. Take the classic and beloved Cooking Mama series for example — there's literally nothing else to do in those games except make food. You'd think it would get too repetitive or boring after a while, but Mama always finds new ways to keep it just as interesting and challenging as trying to make food in real life.

As someone who has had varied success on their journey to learn new recipes and make nutritious-enough food so as not to drop dead one day as an adult fending for myself, it's interesting to have games that turn what is usually a struggle for me into an enjoyable gameplay loop. Although, any Cooking Mama connoisseur can attest that the game can be equally as challenging, so maybe it's a little too true to life there.

Tell me a story...with food

[caption id="attachment_321519" align="alignnone" width="1280"] _{The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.}[/caption]

My absolute favorite, though, is when games use food as a storytelling mechanic. This is less common than just using food as a health supplement, but we still see it fairly often in games. One of my favorites includes Stardew Valley, where food becomes the center of multiple holidays in the game, and is also a core way to "get to know" your favorite villagers and endear them to you.

Another game that comes to mind is Breath of the Wild. Some of the adventures I go on in that game have nothing to do with saving Hyrule, but instead finding the ingredients I need to make the perfect, most delicious-sounding meal. There are even quests that involve bringing someone food they like, or gathering ingredients for a favorite recipe.

These stories may seem small up against the epic, heroic backdrop of saving the world, but I think they reflect on our humanity in a really sweet way. I'm sure there are tons of other games out there that have equally engaging storylines surrounding food, I just need to search them out. Food is in many ways at the heart of how we interact with each other and the world, so having characters interact and bond over food reminds me of how special those interactions can be in real life.

Venba: a story of food and family

[caption id="attachment_321582" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _Venba.[/caption]

That's what gets me so excited for games like Venba, an upcoming narrative cooking game that is being featured at this year's Tribeca Games Festival. It centers on an Indian mother who immigrates to Canada with her family in the 1980s, and "will cook various dishes and restore lost recipes, hold branching conversations and explore in this story about family, love, loss and more," according to the game's website.

The cooking gameplay makes it look like a spiritual successor to Cooking Mama in certain ways, but the addition of the narrative in parallel with that cooking mechanic is what has me the most excited about Venba.

I'll be the first to admit that I don't know a whole lot about Indian culture, but what I do know is that food is a very important factor. I'm not only looking forward to playing Venba, but also learning more about food from another culture, and how that food ties into the family dynamics of first-generation immigrants. Of all the games coming to Tribeca this year, I think it's safe to say that Venba will be one to look out for.

If the goal of telling stories is to help us all connect and understand what it means to be human, food is a natural extension of that. It will always be fun to consume foods in-game to replenish health or receive a buff, but I love the idea of highlighting our relationship to food within game stories, rather than always using it as a means to an end. We have some great games out there that incorporate food into their narratives, but I'm looking forward to seeing more food-centric stories in games.

Story Beat is a weekly column discussing anything and everything to do with storytelling in video games.

The post Video game food: more than just some extra health appeared first on Destructoid.

But I thought PC gaming was dying

The Stardew Valley 20 million sold mark has been hit, as confirmed by the official website for the game: and 13 million of those sales were on PC. Please clap for a "dying" platform!

Seeing the sales climb to 20 million organically has been a ride. Six years ago it was at a budding one million. Just two years ago the game was at the 10 million mark. Eight months ago it hit 15 million. Now it's here. It feels like it just came out and caught on like wildfire yesterday.

Okay, so using the following information, we can kinda-sorta break down per-platform info:

• Creator Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone states that 13 million of those sales were on PC openly on the site.
• Four years ago, the Switch hit the one million milestone mark, which has grown since then.
• In 2020, it was confirmed that Stardew Valley hit the "one million downloads" mark on iOS and Android combined.

Recent data has not been provided for the PS4, Vita (RIP), or Xbox One platforms. But at roughly 1.5 million for PS4 and one million for Xbox One respectively, presuming a significant growth for Switch and mobile (to potentially two million each), that would approach the Stardew Valley 20 million mark.

Given the evergreen nature of the game and the inevitable second wind it will get after the launch of Haunted Chocolatier, this journey isn't over yet.

The post Stardew Valley hits the 20 million sold milestone: 13 million are on PC appeared first on Destructoid.

Be the hero of your own story

Sappy. Sentimental. Downright cheesy. If there's a video game story (or really any other media, for that matter) that is going to make me cry from pure emotion, you can bet your bottom dollar that I'm going to love it. With the world becoming an increasingly horrific dumpster fire that somehow burns hotter every day, media can be a welcome respite from the chaos.

Don't get me wrong here, I love dark, provocative stories in certain contexts, but sometimes, what you really need is something that knows what it is, and leans as hard as it can into that fantasy. I'm not talking about dragons and wizards, but a different kind of fantasy — the fantasy of play (although there is quite a bit of overlap between those two). Allow me to explain.

Stating the obvious here, but when we play a video game, we're engaged in very active play: pressing buttons to manipulate what we see on the screen, and engaging with gameplay systems that designers have put in place to provide us with a fulfilling experience. We love exploring the constraints of those systems, and using their rules to create scenarios where we come out on top.

Another kind of play

But when we add in the storytelling elements of a game — the setting, characters, plot, and so on — we're engaging with another type of play: make-believe. Similar to how a child might play princess or knight, there's something in us that loves the fantasy of being someone else. It's the same thing in us that loves immersive experiences, which can include anything from an engrossing movie to an all-enveloping real-life experience like going to Disneyland or a Renaissance Faire. In those scenarios, we allow ourselves to shed our identities and put on new ones — something that can be incredibly freeing — and we do the exact same thing when we allow ourselves to give in to the fantasy of a video game.

A lot of games tend to be pieces of genre fiction like sci-fi, fantasy (now we're talking about the dragons-and-wizards variety), and even westerns, and that's because genre fiction is especially good at helping us get out of our own heads and into something that feels like more of an adventure. The best genre fiction knows what it is and leans into it hard, and by that, I mean that its creators understand the conventions and tropes of a piece's respective genre, and instead of shying away from them, they embrace those conventions whole-heartedly and without irony. What's even better is when a game's mechanics allow for emergent storytelling, because when we create our own story beats without any scripted help from the game, we feel even more ownership of our own narrative that we're playing out.

Think of the rousing speeches spoken triumphantly over the intercom on the Normandy in Mass Effect, or the swell of the music when you first lay eyes on the beautiful pirate ships that you know contain treasure in Uncharted 4. These moments could definitely be considered cheesy or over-the-top to some, but giving in to those indulgent moments is what helps us really feel like we're living our dreams as a space commander, or a treasure hunter. People joke about games like God of War being nothing but a power fantasy, but honestly, that's what it's supposed to be, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYjCGSLX8VE

The Blank Slate

In other media, having a Blank Slate protagonist can be more of a problem, because they can come off as bland and uninteresting most of the time. But in games, having your main character be a hollow shell can actually be a big advantage, because, given the nature of play, players already have a tendency to project their own chosen persona onto that character.

There are some instances where having a more specific character can be just as affecting, too — my go-to example is always The Last of Us, because that game does a great job of using play, specifically how intense and harrowing it can feel at times, to make you feel for the characters and the journey they're going through. If you let yourself give in to the fear and desperation that some of the more intense moments of that game present you with, suddenly the emotional highs and lows hit a lot harder.

Giving in to the fantasy

When we talk about games being so emotionally impactful, I think this is why. Giving ourselves over to story, especially in such a strong and sometimes personal way that games ask of us, can mean really moving and enriching gaming and storytelling experiences.

Not all, but a vast majority of beloved, classic games give into one form of fantasy or another. Pokémon: going on an adventure with companions who fight loyally at your side. The Legend of Zelda: becoming the stoic, loyal, heroic warrior who saves the princess and the rest of Hyrule. Stardew Valley: moving to a quaint seaside town and living the peaceful life of a farmer while also making friends and finding love. The list goes on and on — there are an endless number of little fantasies like this, and an endless number of games that help us fulfill them.

We don't have a lot of occasions in life as adults to get to engage in make-believe, but we do have video games. Having a consistent place where we can go and be a hero or fall in love with an imaginary friend for a while may sound silly to some, but if we're willing to let go of the part of us that cringes a little bit and embrace the cheese, engaging in play can be an incredibly gratifying experience.

Story Beat is a weekly column discussing anything and everything to do with storytelling in video games.

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