Stardew Valley: stardew valley at 10 — The pixel art farm game that became an unlikely phenomenon
Stardew Valley turns 10 years old today, marking a huge milestone for one of the most beloved and successful indie games of the modern era. The solo developer ConcernedApe (also known as Eric Barone) premiered a video today that celebrates the anniversary and offers a sneak peek at the upcoming 1. 7 update.
Stardew Valley anniversary and update
The developer emphasized that, despite not being a live service game, ConcernedApe is still providing content updates to this day. Those updates have slowed significantly in recent years, but Barone said 1. 7 is coming soon and used the anniversary video to take a trip down memory lane, showing off old builds of the farming sim and offering a detailed behind-the-scenes look at how the project came together.
Clint joins marriage candidates
At the very end of the video, Barone revealed a surprise: players will be able to romance Clint, the blacksmith. The choice is surprising to many because Clint is commonly made fun of by members in the community who dislike his personality; in a cast of beloved characters, he stands out as one of the most commonly disdained. The video suggests this may be an attempt to turn the character's popularity around, since romance quests give characters a lot more depth.
Sandy becomes marriageable in desert
The reveal also confirmed Sandy, a shopkeeper in the desert, as a new marriage candidate in 1. 7. Both announcements were presented as the first new marriage candidates in years and appeared as part of the end of the anniversary video sneak peek.
Community reaction and other candidates
Still, other characters remain frequently requested by players. The most notable are Robin — who is married when the player arrives to the village, a fact that has not quelled romantic fans — and the Wizard. Unless those characters are added in some massive 1. 8 update, fans will have to stick to fanfic and mods for those romance possibilities.
Release timing and related updates
Stardew Valley's 1. 7 update does not have a release window yet, though the video signals it may arrive sometime soon. The broader ecosystem around the game continues to receive work: a Switch 2 update is noted to include split-screen co-op and mouse controls. As for ConcernedApe's next project, Haunted Chocolatier, there is no known release date and the game remains highly anticipated.
A separate, brief line in the provided material read: "Short and stout, this is my handle, this is my spout. "
For now, the anniversary video serves as both a celebration of Stardew Valley's decade-long run and a direct glimpse at 1. 7, with the late reveal of Clint and Sandy as romance options standing out as the most unexpected news from the preview.
