A joke made by Stardew Valley developer ConcernedApe could come to fruition considering the depth and space that can be explored in the game. It’s any gamer’s dream to receive new updates and content for the rest of their lives, and ConcernedApe seems committed to the bit. Predicting the updates that Stardew Valley could receive through 2075 may seem daunting, but there are some areas of the Ferngill Republic that players may want to explore.
Stardew Valley had a massive update with version 1.6 of the game back in December 2024, adding the standard quality of life improvements alongside new events. Large updates like this are fairly standard when it comes to Stardew Valley’s updates, but the hit farming simulation could expand the game entirely in one key way.
Stardew Valley: The Best Spring Crops
These are the best spring crops for a thriving farm in ConcernedApe's Stardew Valley.
ConcernedApe Can Expand Stardew Valley's Locations for Decades of Content
In an interview with NPR, Stardew Valley developer Eric Barone, better known as ConcernedApe, answered questions about the hit indie game’s development, growth, and future. Expanding on his previous statement that he pictured working on the farming simulation for the rest of his life, ConcernedApe confirmed that he never wants to completely shut the door on Stardew Valley and that he could even add new content to the game fifty years down the line. When questioned by the interviewer about his answer, ConcernedApe stated that he has no plans to retire and joked that he might even release updates into his nineties.
Though ConcernedApe’s response to the future of Stardew Valley may be hyperbolic, the game has established plenty of paths that could lead to fifty full years of new content. One of the easiest ways for ConcernedApe to continue Stardew Valley’s expansion would be by investigating other locations mentioned in the game’s lore.
Several spots come to mind for map expansions, like the Fern Islands, Prairie Island, and Zuzu City. Choosing the Fern Islands and Prairie Islands would cater more towards the game’s cozy nature, as Zuzu City is canonically a bustling city compared to Pelican Town. Out of these three locations, the Fern Islands has the most content already available in Stardew Valley, as players can visit and farm on one of its islands, Ginger Island, after repairing the boat in the backroom of Willy’s Fish Shop and buying tickets.
Some of these locations also have ties to the lore of several NPCs, both romanceable and non-romanceable. Perhaps these characters could have higher stakes or more interactions with players based on these hypothetical map expansions.
Stardew Valley Should Expand on These Locations
For example, Willy is from the Fern Islands and Gus uses Fern Island Ringfruit for his premier candy canes. Players who marry Haley will discover that she wants to spend their shared retirement among the Fern Islands. These islands are located in the Gem Sea, which is the ocean that makes up the entire southern coast of Pelican Town. Prairie Island is an island far to the west of the Gem Sea, populated with raccoons. Considering its distance from Pelican Town, it’s unlikely that Prairie Island would be chosen as a map expansion for Stardew Valley, but it’s been consistently referenced in the game, like in the movie “Natural Wonder: Exploring Our Vibrant World.”
While adding Zuzu City could change the entire vibe of Stardew Valley, ConcernedApe could use the metropolis as more of a visiting location for events. In fact, Shane will take players who romance him to a Zuzu City Tunnelers match in the city’s stadium for his Ten Hearts event. Considering that Sam used to live in the city and that other NPCs, like Haley, have canonically visited it before, expanding the city’s presence into a place that players can visit could make it a subdued, but appreciated map expansion. Time will tell if ConcernedApe will update Stardew Valley into his nineties, but he has plenty of content to draw from if he really wants to continue working on Stardew Valley into 2075.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 99%
- Released
- February 26, 2016
- ESRB
- E for Everyone (Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco)
- Developer(s)
- ConcernedApe
- Publisher(s)
- ConcernedApe
- Engine
- Proprietary
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- Stardew Valley does not currently support crossplay between different consoles and PC
WHERE TO PLAY
- Cross Save
- cross-progression is only available between the PC and mobile versions of the game
- Number of Players
- 1-4
- Split Screen Orientation
- Vertical or Horizontal
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Simulation
- How Long To Beat
- 53 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- No
- File Size Xbox Series
- 1 GB (November 2023)
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-4 Players
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
