Image source: ConcernedApe
Yes, with that exclamation point in my title, I’m shouting about the release of Concerned Ape’s newest patch update for its megahit, Stardew Valley.
I’ve written previously about my love for cozy games, and Stardew Valley is at the top of that very cozy heap for me. A farming simulator that is so much more than that, the main game is only $14.99 on Steam for PC. That low price has bought me hundreds of hours of game play time as I farm my parsnips, mine for gold and iridium, and romance the nerdy town doctor Harvey for the millionth time.
Concerned Ape (whose real name is Eric Barone) worked on Stardew Valley on his own and released it in 2016. Since then, the little game that could has sold more than 30 million copies, according to Statista, with 10 million of those copies selling between 2022 and 2024.
Every patch that ConcernedApe has released has been given for free for folks that have already purchased the main game. Now, these content drops are labeled as patches, which would suggest fixes to an already live game. While there are quality of life fixes in the 1.6 patch, there are also massive content updates, including new items, a new farmland type, new events, and much, much more (if you’re not opposed to spoilers, you can check out the full list of 1.6 updates on the Stardew Blog).
According to ConcernedApe’s Wikipedia entry, Barone has been working independently on this game since 2012. To me, the game represents the opposite of videogame publisher greed as exemplified by their time-gated games throttled by thousands of microtransactions.
Stardew Valley is my cozy game of choice. You purchase it once, and then you can spend hundreds of hours peacefully helping out your farm community live and thrive. After setting it down for a while, I have started up a new game save. This time around, I’m not looking to min/max my farming profits; I’m just looking to stroll leisurely around my farm and explore all of the new things on offer.
If you’re a fan of cozy games and haven’t yet checked this game out, what are you waiting for? Pick up your spade and get started on your own Stardew Valley farm.
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