Stardew Valley 1.6 update on all platforms
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
I believe the best games can be described as “cozy games,” or games that are not overly stressful and do not require too much violence or action. For this reason, it is no surprise that my favorite games include Minecraft (2011), PowerWash Simulator (2022), and Stardew Valley (2016). While I enjoy action-based games as much as the next person, I also want nothing more than to relax in my comfy bed after a long day of classes and turn off my brain for a bit to enjoy cute and silly entertainment. If you are into cozy games that still require some thought, I would like to direct you to Stardew Valley (2016). Fortunately, the beloved game recently had a massive update across all available platforms— which will be discussed further!
Stardew Valley (2016) is a farming simulator developed by Eric Barone, better known as ConcernedApe. Stardew Valley (2016) may appear to be a simple farming simulator, but it is so much more than that. The game’s opening sequence tells the story of the final moments of the player’s Grandpa: Grandpa hands you —the player— an envelope with the instructions to open only after you feel the dreadful burden of modern life. Shortly after, we see you work in Joja Corporation, surrounded by the monochrome gray setting promoting non-stop work. Then, we cut to the player opening Grandpa’s letter.
In his letter, he explains how he also needed his life to change, to escape the monotonous routine and return to nature. He gives the player his deed to his former farm, located in Pelican Town —a small town in the Stardew Valley— emphasizing how important it is to him for the player to honor the family name. Then, the player is transported into the world of Stardew Valley, where they must perform various tasks to earn money, establish relationships with the town's villagers, and take care of the farm.
Pelican Town is incredibly cozy, and the villagers each have their own personalities to which you grow attached; it is no surprise that the game became a massive success. With this success, many Stardew Valley (2016) fans would receive the best news yet on Feb. 26, 2024: an official announcement of the 1.6 update release date on Mar. 19, 2024. This announcement, however, was not met with unanimous excitement as this update was only for the PC (personal computer), so players on console and mobile would have to wait longer to enjoy the new content.
The new update was heavily anticipated because of all the latest content to enjoy: adding new festivals, such as the Desert Festival and SquidFest, a new farm type called Meadowlands, expanded dialogue and gameplay involving NPCs (non-player characters), more items, more quests, and the list goes on! If interested, read the full changelog on the Stardew Valley Website.
After the official release of the 1.6 update for the PC, ConcernedApe regularly updated the game to fix any issues players found while enjoying the new features. As he explained on his X account, “ConcernedApe,” providing solutions to issues from the latest update is much quicker on PC than on console platforms. So, while it may have appeared like console and mobile players were being left out, there was a genuine reason behind the wait.
Even so, there still has been no official announcement about when the 1.6 update will be released on other platforms. Therefore, I and many others on these devices had to wait patiently for future announcements.
After many months of PC players accessing the new content, ConcernedApe announced something important on his X account: the 1.6 update would be released on console and mobile on Nov. 4, 2024.
As a primarily Nintendo Switch player, I was ecstatic to be able to update my game and play after a long day of classes, homework, and meetings. While I love Stardew Valley (2016), sometimes it can feel overly routine-based, but the new update adds so many new aspects to explore that it feels like you are learning the game again. I cannot recommend the game enough, especially if you want something low-stakes but not monotonous and boring.
The new festivals are so fun to participate in, especially when you can master the fishing mechanics, and the latest farm type inspires incredible new ideas. Also, for all of us who love reading— a bookseller now comes to Pelican Town twice a season; everything is worth exploring. I would hate to spoil the exciting changes, so I advise everyone to investigate for themselves!
Stardew Valley (2016) is available on almost all platforms where you can access video games. Download it and fall in love with Pelican Town and its villagers!