Eric Barone, more commonly known in gaming circles as ConcernedApe, took us all by surprise when he announced the imminent release of a Stardew Valley update fans had been speculating about for over a year. Scheduled to drop on March 19, the 1.6 update will hit PC first before coming out on console and mobile devices at a later date.
ConcernedApe hinted at a much bigger patch than previously expected, so big indeed that he effectively paused the development of his next game, Haunted Chocolatier. This patch is set to introduce numerous late-game features and quality-of-life adjustments, such as additional seasonal festivals, new crafting recipes, and a new farm layout. Extra lines of dialogue will enrich NPC interactions, while residents of Pelican Town will don weather-appropriate clothes in winter. Additionally, the co-op mode will now support up to eight players.
Sitting down with Polygon last week, the self-made gaming developer further tickled fans’ curiosity by saying the update had a lot more in store than people might think. Barone followed up on these promising statements on his X account, teasing a “non-spoilery patch note line” a day until the 19th. On day one, ConcernedApe revealed a feature allowing players to cut down a fruit tree to yield the corresponding fruit sapling. The higher the quality of the sapling, the faster it may grow into a tree when replanted. The day after, his random drop confirmed a theory players committed to Stardew lore had long suspected. Up until now, harvesting crops from left to right was unmistakably faster than the other way around. Speedrunners can breathe a sigh of relief since a fix is on its way to allow gamers to harvest from right to left at full tilt.
What ConcernedApe might let out next, no one can know for sure. However, the genius creator behind the iconic farming sim is obviously having fun in the leadup to this highly anticipated 1.6 version. In the coming days, his daily stream of patch notes could add further fuel to the wildest theories going around the web. Since the 1.6 update introduced the tropical map of Ginger Island, players have been pondering the existence of a new raccoon-filled Prairie Island, drawing connections from a mysterious raccoon featured in the developer’s social media posts. In-game references to Prairie Island may support this theory, including an explicit mention in one of the movies displayed in the cinema that players can unlock after restoring the community center. Lying to the west of the Gem Sea, the island is canonically home to a thriving raccoon population.
As neat as it sounds, this new explorable location might as well be off the mark as Barone emphasized the 1.6 update would primarily focus on the core elements of the game, taking a different approach to the advanced options introduced by its predecessor. Interestingly, he suggested that players start a new run to discover these new facets of the game organically. Both new Stardewers and long-time players have close to infinite content to explore, anyhow. While some may spend their time tending to their farm or foraging items around town, completionists may grind to dig up every artifact, catch every legendary fish, and befriend every resident in no time.
Countless adventures also await beyond the valley, from collecting the Golden Walnuts on Ginger Island to visiting the hidden casino in the Calico Desert. After completing the mysterious Qi quest, nothing beats sidestepping the bouncer guarding the entry of this exclusive venue at the back of the Oasis store. That said, the minigames available in the casino aren’t on par with that triumphant feeling. Slots players may even find the game’s roster a tad lackluster.
If so, they may get cracking at online slots. Bonuses usually await newcomers in the form of free spins. These signup promotions give users extra chances of hitting it big. Some free spins come with no strings attached, while others involve a small deposit. Once logged in, players can browse thousands of options, including slots with a somewhat Stardew feel like Thunderspin’s Cute Farm or Pragmatic Play’s Country Farming.
For those players preferring to focus on their Stardew playthrough, the 1.6 update is just around the corner. And there is more good news for diehard fans modding their game. The creator of Stardew Valley Expanded confirmed the upcoming patch would be compatible with this popular mod, which recently hit the 2-million-download threshold.
