Up to date November 2024: This story has been up to date with the brand new availability of Stardew’s 1.6 replace.
The favored farming sim and ultimate cozy game Stardew Valley dropped a significant replace on Tuesday after months of anticipation. Stardew’s 1.6 replace has an insane quantity of latest content material that touches each space of the sport, from new menus and DIYs, to a brand new farm format, new crops, and the power to have a number of pets and play with seven buddies without delay. It’s sufficient updates to make the sport really feel contemporary, nevertheless it isn’t so new you can’t ease again right into a beloved farm and toil away.
As of November 4, 2024, the free replace is out there for gamers on all platforms. The replace was initially solely out there for PC gamers utilizing Steam, nevertheless it’s now out there for console and cellular gamers too. If you do not have the sport but, you’ll be able to purchase it on Steam for $15 for PC, Linus, and Mac computer systems, or the store in your console of selection, just like the Nintendo Store ($15) or Xbox Store ($15). You can even buy it for cellular within the Apple Store ($5) or Google Play Store ($5) to play in your cellular units. There are not any cross-saves, so every platform may have its personal information and farms.
As quickly because the PC replace arrived again in March, I opened up Stardew Valley and began a file with the brand-new farm format (which has me very broke) to dive proper in. The replace additionally works in your current Stardew information, and I’ve been bouncing forwards and backwards between my brand-new file and a later-game file to see what’s new in several seasons. In all places I look, I see one thing new. Moss to forage off bushes! New reactionary dialog from NPCs! A prize machine within the mayor’s home!
If you happen to hate spoilers, I’m actually undecided why you learn this far, however it is best to undoubtedly cease studying. I’m about to let you know about a number of the greatest modifications I’ve noticed since taking part in the up to date recreation.
Screenshot courtesy of Nena Farrell
Ranch Mode
The most important change to see instantly is the brand new farm format. Stardew’s 1.6 replace provides the Meadowlands Farm, a grass- and animal-focused design for my fellow animal ranchers. This farm grows a special blue grass that recreation creator Eric Barone says animals will love. It may elevate animal’s hearts sooner, bettering the eggs and milk they offer you. There’s much less farming land out there, and some modifications to preliminary quests. I’m having fun with the Meadowlands Farm to this point—I instantly created one when the sport dropped–although beginning with two chickens and no parsnip seeds is certainly a slower path to the infinite wealth I am searching for. However although I am broke, it’s nonetheless been enjoyable to have such a special begin to the sport.
Screenshot courtesy of Nena Farrell
Recent Crops
The primary query my sister requested me after I began taking part in: “Are there new crops?” At first, I informed her no. I didn’t see something new to buy within the store. However there are new crops with the replace–you simply gained’t discover them in any shops.
As an alternative, you discover 4 new crops (one for every season!) in a number of other ways—primarily, digging them up from the bottom within the recreation’s well-known Artifact Spots, though spots with these new crops have a barely totally different model you’ll have the ability to spot. You can even win them within the brand-new Prize Machine within the mayor’s home, when you get your hand on a prize ticket. The brand new crops are carrots for spring, summer time squash for (shocker) summer time, broccoli for fall, and powdermelon in winter. These new crops can be utilized within the recreation’s foremost quest, too. Simply select Remixed Bundles for the Group Heart in your beginning settings.
