Stardew Valley creator Eric ‘Concerned Ape’ Barone has promised fans that he will never charge money for DLC or updates following the release of one of his games. Furthermore, he has assured the community that he is hard at work bringing the farming sim's 1.6 update to console and mobile platforms.
“I swear on the honour of my family name, i will never charge money for a DLC or update for as long as I live,” wrote Barone in a post on X responding to a curious Stardew Valley fan. “Screencap this and shame me if I ever violate this oath.”
The pledge came in the wake of a progress update from the developer, in which he assured fans that Stardew Valley’s highly anticipated 1.6 update - which released on PC in March 2024 but has yet to make an appearance on console or mobile platforms - was still the focus of his efforts. “I have personally been working on the mobile port every day,” read Barone’s X post. “I will announce when there is any meaningful news (e.g. a release date). hope you're having a good summer.”
the ports and next pc update are still in progress. I know it is taking a long time, its on my mind every minute. I have personally been working on the mobile port every day. I will announce when there is any meaningful news (e.g. a release date). hope youre having a good summer
— ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) July 22, 2024
Stardew Valley has benefited from a smorgasbord of fresh content, bug fixes, and quality of life updates in the eight years since Stardew Valley’s initial 2016 release. Despite the considerable amount of time that Barone has sunk into creating those updates, he’s never asked for a cent beyond the price paid for the base game. The changes have been so substantial that IGN saw fit to review the game all over again in May 2024 to take into account the wave of new content introduced by the 1.6 update, in which we lauded the title as a modern classic deserving of a 10/10 score.
Barone had previously revealed that part of his drive to continue supporting the game was down to the fact that new people are still finding and enjoying it over eight years after launch. "I want it to be the best it can be, It will never be perfect but I feel an urge to keep improving it," explained the developer. "Up to this point its been my life's work and I care a lot about it."
Be sure to check out IGN’s extensive guide to ensure that you get the most out of the cosy farming sim. While you’re at it, why not take a look at stills from Barone’s next title ‘The Haunted Chocolatier’, which is set to be the ‘Moon’ to Stardew Valley’s ‘Sun’.
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer
