Stardew Valley Creator Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone promises that future updates to his beloved farming simulation game will be completely free, just like previous ones.
Development on Stardew Valley began a whopping 12 years ago, with Barone as the formidable one-man studio behind the iconic indie gem. Since the game’s release in 2016, the solo developer has pushed out a series of updates—some small, many quite large. Each patch, whether small or packed with new content, has not been released as “DLC” or ever cost players a dime—and Barone assures them that they will remain that way forever.
I swear on the honor of my family name, I will never ask for money for a DLC or update as long as I live. Screencap this and shame on me if I ever break this oathJuly 22, 2024
In a recent afterThe creator promises this: “I swear on the honor of my family name, I will never charge for a DLC or update, as long as I live.” Barone says fans can hold him to his word if he ever goes back on it – although as a Stardew fan myself, I doubt he will. Especially when I think about the massive patches of the past, like this year’s 1.6 update and how they were free. “Take a screenshot of this and shame on me if I ever break this oath.”
This sentiment could also apply to Barone’s future games, as he doesn’t specifically state that he only means Stardew Valley – Bewitched Chocolatier is on its way. There is also no telling how many more free updates Stardew will receive. While the the creator still thinks he can “work on the game forever”, He did admit that “at some point you have to move on.” For now, 1.6. 9 is on the way for PC players – whether a 1.7. 0 is coming is still unknown.
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