Stardew Valley creator says he treats PC updates like a “beta test”

Extremely anticipated: Though the final main replace for Stardew Valley – model 1.6 – arrived on PC earlier this 12 months, cell and console customers will not obtain it till November. Whereas explaining the discrepancy, the sport’s sole developer admitted to treating PC customers like beta testers on account of variations between the varied platforms.

The cell and console variations of Stardew Valley have not acquired a serious replace since 2021. The lengthy wait ends on November 4, however the recreation’s creator confirmed that these platforms will possible by no means take pleasure in launch parity with PC.

Model 1.6, the final massive patch, got here to PC in March, including dialogue, a brand new form of farm, an end-game talent system, numerous different minor additions, a brand new competition, and different occasions. The discharge pushed Steam participant counts to an all-time excessive of over 236,000.

I’ve at all times launched on PC first, as a result of it is type of a “beta check” to verify there are not any essential (e.g. save-destroying) bugs, that are a a lot greater deal on consoles as a result of they cannot be patched out as rapidly. Nevertheless, I by no means meant for the delay to be this lengthy

– ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) September 22, 2024

Sadly, work on the patch for different platforms has encountered important delays. Creator Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone, who has developed Stardew Valley primarily alone since 2012, admitted that the port is taking longer than traditional, requiring extra work than beforehand anticipated. Whereas repeatedly apologizing to followers, he acknowledged that the state of affairs impacted progress on his subsequent recreation, Haunted Chocolatier.

Nonetheless, Barone confirmed that he normally releases Stardew Valley updates on PC first. He treats PC patches like beta releases as a result of critical glitches (like progress-erasing bugs) take longer to handle on different platforms.

The delay is probably going as a result of cell and console updates should cross every platform holder’s certification course of, whereas Barone can add PC patches instantly upon ending them. Certainly, the PC model has acquired a number of minor fixes and gameplay additions since model 1.6. The November replace for different platforms will coincide with PC model 1.6.9.

Fortuitously, those that have already bought Stardew Valley on any platform ought to by no means fear about paying for brand spanking new content material. Earlier this 12 months, Barone swore to by no means cost for DLC or another replace, asking observers to screencap the declaration for posterity.

The promise contrasts starkly with video games from bigger publishers that cost for microtransactions, expansions, and subscriptions. Nevertheless, Stardew Valley’s possible distinctive monetary state of affairs most likely provides Barone some leeway. Not many video games made nearly fully by one individual have offered 30 million copies.

Dwarf Fortress makes for an attention-grabbing comparability. Bay 12 Video games distributed the hardcore simulation recreation as freeware for 16 years till a well being scare in 2019 prompted the group to launch an alternate industrial model. It nearly instantly made again hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in gross sales.