Big things are coming to Stardew Valley, so says Eric Barone aka ConcernedApe, the game’s lead developer, programmer, artist, etc. Update 1.4 will bring several new features to the game, most of which Barone is playing close to the chest so that gamers can be pleasantly surprised when they discover the new stuff for themselves.
Barone kicks things off by apologizing for the time it took to get the 1.3 multiplayer updates to Xbox One and PlayStation 4. That being said, the update is live, so console gamers can now get their multiplayer farming action on.
So what are the big features of the 1.4 update? Barone is happy to finally be able to “polish” the game, getting it to the state he’s always wanted. The update aims to squash all the bugs that have managed to stick around since launch, as well as work some additional tweaks into the controls and the overall feel of the game to get it to a place that Barone has wanted it to be since the beginning. He also mentions adding some “quality of life” features that will supposedly make gameplay a more seamless experience. There’s no telling what he means by that, but it’s something to get excited about.
He throws a few tidbits out regarding the additions, like how Wild Bait can now help you catch double fish, every spouse is getting a unique 14-heart event after they get married, and PC is getting a feature that allows players to take a screenshot of their entire farm.
He doesn’t go into any more detail, but he does say, and I quote: “Content-wise, nearly every aspect of the game has been expanded or improved upon in some way.” That sounds like a pretty massive update and plenty of reason to jump back into the game if you haven’t played in a while.
The 1.4 update is headed to PC on November 26. Console and mobile platforms will get it at a later, unspecified date. Barone hopes to release it simultaneously for all remaining platforms a few weeks after the PC release. He’s hoping to announce a solid release date after a little more testing is done.
Stardew Valley has come a long way since Barone designed and coded the entire thing himself. For the first time in the game’s history, Barone has a team working with him, and I for one can’t wait to see what even more talent can bring to the table.
