Stardew Valley: stardew valley at 10 — Clint and Sandy added in 1.7
stardew valley turns 10 years old today, a milestone for the indie farming sim. Solo developer ConcernedApe (also known as Eric Barone) marked the anniversary by previewing the long-awaited 1. 7 update, which is coming soon.
Stardew Valley's new marriages
The 1. 7 update delivers Stardew Valley's first new marriage candidates in years. Barone used an anniversary video to give players a sneak peek: at the very end of the video he revealed that players will be able to romance Clint, the blacksmith, and Sandy, a shopkeeper in the desert.
Barone's anniversary video on YouTube
Barone premiered a video on YouTube celebrating both the anniversary and the upcoming update. The video took a trip down memory lane, showing old builds of the farming sim and offering a detailed behind-the-scenes look as the project came together. The new marriage candidates appeared as a late reveal in that video.
Clint and Sandy revealed late
At the end of the anniversary sneak peek, Barone confirmed romance options for Clint and Sandy. Clint is identified specifically as the blacksmith, and Sandy is identified as a shopkeeper in the desert. The reveal positions them as the first new marriage options added after several years without additional candidates.
Community reaction to Clint
Clint’s addition is a surprising choice for many. 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. Some observers suggested Barone may be aiming to shift perception, since romance quests give characters a lot more depth.
Other requested characters and mods
Players have asked for other romance candidates for years. The most notable requests include Robin, who is married when the player arrives to the village, and the Wizard. Unless those characters arrive in some massive 1. 8 update, fans will have to stick to fanfic and mods to explore those pairings.
Update timing and other projects
Stardew Valley's 1. 7 update does not have a release window yet but is expected sometime soon. For players returning to the game, the Switch 2 update adds split-screen co-op and mouse controls. ConcernedApe's next game, Haunted Chocolatier, has no known release date; its timing remains unclear in the provided context, and it was described as one of the most anticipated upcoming games.
The anniversary preview offered both a celebration of ten years and a concrete look at new content: romanceable characters Clint and Sandy, slowed but ongoing updates from ConcernedApe (Eric Barone), and a reminder that more changes could arrive in future updates like 1. 8.
