Stardew Valley Marks 10 Years as ConcernedApe Reveals Clint and Sandy as New Marriage Candidates
stardew valley turned 10 years old today, and the milestone was marked by a new developer video that previews the upcoming 1. 7 update. The solo creator, known as ConcernedApe and also named Eric Barone, used the anniversary showcase to reveal fresh romance options and to revisit the game's development history.
ConcernedApe's Anniversary Video
Eric Barone premiered a video on YouTube that celebrated the decade-long run of his indie farming sim. The clip takes viewers on a trip down memory lane, showing old builds of the project and giving a behind-the-scenes look at how the game came together. At the very end of the video Barone posted a sneak peek at the 1. 7 update.
Stardew Valley 1. 7 Marriage Candidates
The 1. 7 update includes the first new marriage candidates added in years: Clint, the blacksmith, and Sandy, a shopkeeper in the desert. Barone revealed the pair as romanceable at the conclusion of the anniversary footage. The update currently has no release window; it is described as coming soon but lacks a firm timeline.
Clint and Community Reaction
Clint's inclusion is notable inside the player community because he has long been a subject of mockery and criticism for his personality. That reputation makes him a surprising choice for a romance path, and the developer appears to be broadening the cast's narrative opportunities: romance quests are designed to give characters more depth, so adding Clint and Sandy may reshape how players perceive them.
Other Requested Characters and the Prospect of 1. 8
Players have continued to request romance options for other figures, especially Robin and the Wizard. Robin is already established as married when the player first arrives in the village, a fact that has not quelled fans who have long imagined alternative storylines. Unless those requests arrive in a future 1. 8 update, fans will have to rely on fan fiction and community-made mods to explore those pairings.
Release Timing, Platform Updates and Haunted Chocolatier
The developer has slowed the cadence of updates in recent years but remains active in post-release development. The 1. 7 update is confirmed as upcoming, yet there is no announced release window. For players returning after a break, the game has received a separate Switch 2 update that adds split-screen co-op and mouse controls. ConcernedApe's next game, Haunted Chocolatier, likewise has no announced release date; its timing is unclear in the provided context, though it is described as highly anticipated.
What makes this notable is the combination of a decade milestone and a content surprise: the anniversary provided both a retrospective and concrete additions to the live game. Because the studio is a one-person development operation, these milestones and intermittent updates have a direct line to the creator's schedule and priorities, which helps explain why release windows remain vague while feature reveals still appear in developer-led videos.
The video’s behind-the-scenes material was presented as a rare, detailed look into an indie project’s evolution, and viewers are encouraged to watch the full showcase for both the historical material and the 1. 7 preview. Until a formal release date is announced, players will be left to anticipate when Clint and Sandy’s romance quests will arrive in-game and whether future updates will address other longstanding community requests.
