Stardew Valley Guide#
Stardew Valley is an open-ended country-life RPG: you inherit your grandfather’s rundown farm, leave the city behind, and rebuild a life in the countryside. The entire game was made by one person — Eric Barone of ConcernedApe handled the programming, art, music, and design himself over roughly four and a half years.
Every figure on this page is checked against official channels (stardewvalley.net, the Steam store page) and the community wiki: farm maps, the villager roster, achievement structure, total museum donations, and co-op player counts are all verified before they appear here. In-game numbers that could not be independently confirmed — crop prices, monster stats, gift preferences — are flagged as “check the in-game almanac” rather than filled in with invented data.
Game Information#
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Game | Stardew Valley |
| Developer | ConcernedApe (Eric Barone — solo programming, art, music, and design over roughly 4.5 years) |
| Publisher | ConcernedApe (fully self-published since 2019; Chucklefish partnered on the console ports) |
| Genre | Open-ended country-life RPG; Steam tags include Farming Sim |
| Engine | C# / MonoGame |
| PC Release Date | February 26, 2016 |
| Platform Timeline | PC February 2016; Mac / Linux later in 2016; Xbox One and PS4 December 2016; Switch late 2017; iOS October 2018; Android March 2019 |
| US Price | $14.99 (EUR 13.99 / GBP 10.99) |
| China Price | 48 yuan list price on Steam; historical low 24 yuan (October 2024 sale, 50% off) |
| Farm Maps | 8 types |
| Marriage Candidates | 12 (6 male, 6 female); the 1.7 update will add 2 more for 14 total |
| Gift-Giving Villagers | 34 (plus 12 NPCs who cannot receive gifts) |
| PC Co-op | Up to 8 players online (host plus 1-7 guests) |
| Steam Achievements | 49 total |
| Sales | Over 50 million copies (official figure at the 10th anniversary, February 2026) |
Sales Milestones#
| Date | Official Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| April 2016 | 1 million | Two months after launch |
| February 2024 | 30 million | — |
| December 2024 | 41 million | 26M on PC, 7.9M on Switch, ~6M combined on Xbox and PS4 |
| February 2026 | Over 50 million | Announced on the official blog at the 10th anniversary |
Critical Reception#
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 89/100 (PC) |
| Steam Reviews | “Overwhelmingly Positive,” roughly 97%-98% positive overall |
| Steam English Review Sample | About 98% positive out of 394,838 reviews (October 2024 press reports) |
Core Gameplay Loop#
The game runs on a clean daily loop: every morning you choose how to spend your energy and time, balancing farming, fishing, mining, and socializing with the villagers, then pour your earnings back into the farm and tool upgrades to unlock deeper exploration and more activities.
For the main branching path, Pelican Town offers two routes: the Community Center, where completing bundles earns facility rewards (finish the Fish Tank bundle to clear the Glittering Boulder and earn the Copper Pan), or JojaMart, a pay-for-service alternative. The two are mutually exclusive in the achievements — you can only commit to one.
Long-term, the game layers several completion systems on top: donate all 95 items to the museum (42 artifacts + 53 minerals), collect all 7 Stardrops (raising your energy cap to 508), catch all 5 legendary fish, unlock all 49 Steam achievements, and chase 100% Perfection at the summit.
Version Updates#
| Version | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1.6 | March 19, 2024 (the 8th anniversary) on PC | Released — a major update that added Meadowlands Farm and more |
| 1.6 console / mobile | Release date announced September 22, 2024; followed within 2024 | Released |
| 1.6.15.1 console patch | February 12, 2025 | Released |
| 1.7 | Announced as in development on August 30, 2025 | Unreleased as of October 8, 2026; no release date |
Officially confirmed 1.7 content includes two new marriage candidates, Clint and Sandy; a new farm type by tradition; more characters and social content; and improvements to the kids system. A farm map editor remains a “maybe” and is not confirmed. ConcernedApe is also developing Haunted Chocolatier at the same time, with no release date announced.
FAQ#
How much does the game cost?#
$14.99 in the US. The Steam China list price is 48 yuan, with a historical low of 24 yuan during the October 2024 sale.
Which platforms can I play it on?#
PC (February 26, 2016 at launch), Mac and Linux (later in 2016), Xbox One and PS4 (December 2016), Switch (late 2017), iOS (October 2018), and Android (March 2019).
How many players can play co-op?#
Up to 8 players simultaneously on PC, with online, LAN, and split-screen support. Console player caps follow the official platform documentation.
How well has it sold?#
Over 50 million copies as of the 10th anniversary in February 2026.
How is it received?#
Metacritic scores the PC version 89/100, and Steam rates it “Overwhelmingly Positive” with roughly 97%-98% positive reviews.
What did the 1.6 update add?#
Version 1.6 launched on PC on March 19, 2024 (the 8th anniversary), with console and mobile versions following within 2024. The 1.6.15.1 console patch shipped on February 12, 2025.
When is 1.7 coming out?#
It was announced as in development on August 30, 2025; as of October 8, 2026 it remains unreleased with no release date. Confirmed content is covered under Version Updates above.
Does the game have an ending?#
There is no traditional ending. Long-term goals are collection- and Perfection-driven: 95 museum donations, 7 Stardrops, 49 Steam achievements, and 100% Perfection, among others.
Data Notes#
- This guide follows a “verified data plus disclosure” standard: every figure covered by the fact-check (reviewed October 8, 2026) is cited directly, and unverified in-game values are never filled in with invented numbers.
- 1.7 coverage sticks to officially confirmed information: development was confirmed on August 30, 2025, but as of October 8, 2026 there is no release date, and no unconfirmed 1.7 details are included.
- Sales figures cite official numbers only (over 50 million as of February 2026), and reception cites only Metacritic 89 (PC) and Steam’s 97%-98% Overwhelmingly Positive rating.
Related Games#
- Disco Elysium — a dialogue-driven detective CRPG
- NieR: Automata — a philosophical action RPG
- Divinity: Original Sin 2 — the sequel to the classic CRPG series
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth — the second chapter of the Final Fantasy VII remake
- Dave the Diver — ocean exploration meets sushi restaurant management
Related Rankings#
Best Indie Games of All Time: Top 10 · Best Indie Games of 2026, Ranked · Best Co-Op Games, Ranked · Best RPGs of All Time, Ranked
Full Guides#
In-depth sub-guides — all-season crop planning, fishing, the mines, marriage candidates, Ginger Island, and more — are available in Chinese on NTGame’s Stardew Valley section.