Stardew Valley’s hotly anticipated 1.6 patch finally has a release date: March 19, according to developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone. The game, which was originally released in 2016, has sold more than 30 million copies and is “thriving more than ever,” Barone posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Monday. And the new patch, which will bring lots of new content to the beloved life and farming simulator, will once again breathe new life into Stardew Valley at its eight anniversary.
The 1.6 patch will be released on March 19 for Windows PC players, and “as soon as possible” after for console and mobile. “With a new update on the horizon, a worldwide concert tour underway, an official cookbook coming soon, and now over 30 million copies sold, Stardew Valley is thriving more than ever,” Barone said. “As always, I’m eternally grateful to the players (you! ) for making all of this possible.”
It’s the 8th anniversary of Stardew Valley. Thank you for all the support over the years! Today I am announcing the PC Release date for the 1.6 update: –March 19th–. Console & Mobile will follow as soon as possible. pic.twitter.com/dMEFydjSqC
— ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) February 26, 2024
Last year, Barone gave a sneak peek at the update: Stardew Valley is expected to get a new major festival and two mini festivals, expanded late-game content, new items and crafting recipes, 100+ lines of dialogue, additional winter outfits for villagers, eight-player multiplayer support, a new farm type, and new secrets to discover. Barone has also previously said that Stardew Valley’s 1.6 update will make the game easier and “more powerful” to mod. He took a break in 2023 from his upcoming Haunted Chocolatier, which he started developing in 2020, to finalize the 1.6 update. Once it’s through the door, Barone expects to go back to Haunted Chocolatier, which he’s again developing on his own.
Stardew Valley’s 1.5 patch was released in 2020 and was its biggest update since it was released in 2016. Then, Barone added an entirely new island to the game, as well as events, puzzles, a new farm, and plenty more. It’s unclear how the 1.6 update compares with regards to scope, but with the release date announced, the hype is louder than ever.
Like Barone said, Stardew Valley is still as successful as ever. The orchestral concert tour is ongoing across the world, it’s got a board game adaptation, and a Stardew Valley cookbook coming this year.
