History of Stardew Valley in Timeline

Stardew Valley is a farm life simulation game where players inherit a farm and manage it by growing crops, raising animals, and developing skills like farming, foraging, fishing, mining, and combat. The game features social interaction, allowing players to build relationships with townspeople, marry, and have children. Multiplayer functionality has been added, enabling online play with others. Developed by Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone, Stardew Valley offers an open-ended gameplay experience.

2011: Eric Barone's Graduation

In 2011, Eric Barone, the creator of Stardew Valley, graduated from the University of Washington Tacoma with a computer science degree. Unable to find a job in the industry, he worked as an usher and began developing the game to improve his computer skills and incorporate his artistic side.

September 2012: Public Announcement of Stardew Valley

In September 2012, Eric Barone publicly announced Stardew Valley, using Steam Greenlight to gauge interest. This announcement marked a significant step in the game's development, leading to community engagement and eventual publication.

2013: Chucklefish Offers to Publish Stardew Valley

In 2013, following the Greenlight period, Chucklefish approached Eric Barone with an offer to publish Stardew Valley. This allowed Barone to focus on game development while Chucklefish handled non-development activities.

April 2015: Barone Announces Release Strategy

In April 2015, Eric Barone announced that he would release Stardew Valley only when he felt it was feature complete. He refused to put it on Steam's Early Access program or accept pre-sale payments, emphasizing a commitment to quality over early access.

February 2016: Stardew Valley's Initial Release

In February 2016, Stardew Valley was originally released for Windows. Eric Barone developed the game by himself over four and a half years, and it was inspired by the Harvest Moon series. Chucklefish helped to publish the game, which allowed Barone to focus on completing it.

February 26, 2016: Stardew Valley Released on Windows

On February 26, 2016, Stardew Valley was released on Steam and GOG for Windows. After its release, Barone continued to work on it, taking feedback from the community and patching bugs, and stated plans to add more features.

May 2016: Chucklefish to Assist with Ports and Localization

In May 2016, Eric Barone announced that Chucklefish would help with non-English localizations, Linux, macOS, and console ports, and the technical aspects required for online cooperative play, allowing him to focus solely on the first major content update.

July 29, 2016: Linux and macOS Ports Released

On July 29, 2016, the Linux and macOS ports of Stardew Valley were released. These ports expanded the game's availability to a wider audience, catering to different operating systems.

September 2016: Stardew Valley: Original Soundtrack Release

In September 2016, Stardew Valley: Original Soundtrack was released, containing the game's official music. This allowed fans to enjoy the game's audio outside of gameplay.

November 2016: Stardew Valley Guidebook Release

In November 2016, the Stardew Valley Guidebook, written by Barone and Ryan Novak and illustrated by Kari Fry, was released. The book made the game more relaxing to play.

2016: Top Ten Developers

In 2016, Gamasutra named Eric Barone (ConcernedApe) one of the top ten developers for single-handedly developing Stardew Valley, which "breathed new life into a genre".

2016: Sales Performance and Community Support

In 2016, Stardew Valley sold roughly 425,000 copies across Steam and GOG.com in its first two weeks, and more than a million within two months. The gaming community showed significant support for Eric Barone and his game.

2016: Year-End Lists and Awards

In 2016, Stardew Valley was featured in several year-end lists, including The Guardian (5th), Paste (8th), Polygon (8th), Slant Magazine (25th) and The Verge. Game Informer also awarded it Best Simulation Game of 2016.

2016: Golden Joystick Award and Nominations

In 2016, Stardew Valley won the Breakthrough Award at the Golden Joystick Awards, along with two other nominations. It was also nominated for Best Game at the 13th British Academy Games Awards, Best Debut at the Game Developers Choice Awards, Best Independent Game at The Game Awards, Most Promising New Intellectual Property at SXSW Gaming Awards, and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize at the Independent Games Festival.

2016: Stardew Valley Release

In 2016, Stardew Valley, a farm life simulation video game developed by Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone, was released. The game places players in the role of a character who inherits their grandfather's farm in Stardew Valley, tasking them with managing it through farming, foraging, fishing, mining, and building relationships with townspeople.

September 2017: Development Process Featured in "Blood, Sweat, and Pixels"

In September 2017, Jason Schreier described the development process of Stardew Valley, along with other games, in his book Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made.

October 5, 2017: Nintendo Switch Version Release

On October 5, 2017, the Nintendo Switch version of Stardew Valley, ported by Sickhead Games, was released. This release brought the game to a popular console platform, expanding its player base.

2017: Sales and Downloads Success

By the end of 2017, Stardew Valley had sold more than 3.5 million copies across all platforms and became the most downloaded title on the Nintendo Switch for 2017, despite launching on the platform in October.

2017: Multiplayer Beta Announcement

In 2017, Eric Barone planned for public beta testing of the multiplayer feature for the Windows version. The initial plan was to release the beta in late 2017, but he was still working to improve the network code by early 2018.

2017: Forbes 30 Under 30

In 2017, Forbes named Eric Barone (ConcernedApe) one of their "30 Under 30" people to watch in video games, citing his commitment towards making Stardew Valley.

2017: PlayStation Vita Port Intention

In early 2017, Eric Barone stated his intentions for the possibility of a PlayStation Vita port of Stardew Valley, marking the beginning of the port's development.

April 2018: Multiplayer Beta Release for Windows

In April 2018, the multiplayer beta for Stardew Valley was released for Windows. This was a significant step towards fulfilling the promise of cooperative gameplay and expanding the game's social features.

May 22, 2018: PlayStation Vita Port Release

On May 22, 2018, the PlayStation Vita port of Stardew Valley was released. This expanded the game's availability to handheld consoles, catering to a different gaming experience.

August 1, 2018: Official Launch of Multiplayer

On August 1, 2018, the multiplayer feature was officially launched for all PC platforms of Stardew Valley. Players could now share a common farm, tackling different tasks together via both local area network and remote online connectivity.

October 2018: Mobile Launch Revenue

In October 2018, following its mobile launch, Sensor Tower estimated that Stardew Valley generated over US$1 million in revenue within its first three weeks on the Apple App Store.

October 24, 2018: iOS Version Release

On October 24, 2018, the iOS version of Stardew Valley was released with the help of The Secret Police. It included the ability to transfer progress from Linux, macOS, and Windows.

December 2018: Multiplayer Update Released for Nintendo Switch

In December 2018, the multiplayer update for Stardew Valley was released for the Nintendo Switch. This brought the cooperative gameplay experience to the popular console, expanding its player base.

December 2018: Publishing Rights Reverted to Barone

In December 2018, the publishing rights for Stardew Valley on all platforms outside of Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch reverted to Eric Barone. This marked a significant shift in the game's distribution management.

2018: IGN Reassessment and Score Increase

In a 2018 reassessment, IGN raised their original score of Stardew Valley, noting that updates since launch have added new items, objectives, and events. These updates improved accessibility for newcomers and provided fresh challenges for veteran players, while the multiplayer mode further enriched the experience.

March 14, 2019: Android Version Release

On March 14, 2019, the Android version of Stardew Valley was released with the help of The Secret Police. It included the ability to transfer progress from Linux, macOS, and Windows.

October 2019: Barone Regains Nintendo Switch Rights

In October 2019, Eric Barone regained the publishing rights for the Nintendo Switch release of Stardew Valley. This further consolidated his control over the game's distribution and development.

December 2019: Stardew Valley Added to Tesla Arcade

In December 2019, Stardew Valley was added to the Tesla Arcade, a Linux-based video game service incorporated within most models of Tesla electric cars.

August 15, 2020: Symphonic Tale: The Place I Truly Belong Album Release

On August 15, 2020, the orchestral album Symphonic Tale: The Place I Truly Belong (Music from Stardew Valley), directed by Kentaro Sato and performed by the Budapest Symphony Orchestra, was released. This album provided a new way to experience the game's music.

2020: Physical Release Announcement

In 2020, Eric Barone collaborated with Fangamer to announce the physical release of Stardew Valley's standard and collector's editions for the Nintendo Switch and PC versions.

February 2021: Barone Regains Control of Official Wiki

In February 2021, Eric Barone regained control of the official wiki for Stardew Valley. This allowed him to directly manage and update the game's documentation and community resources.

February 2021: Stardew Valley: The Board Game Release

In February 2021, a cooperative board game adaptation, Stardew Valley: The Board Game, was released, bringing the farming simulation experience to a tabletop format.

May 2021: Prescription for Sleep: Stardew Valley Album Release

In May 2021, the Prescription for Sleep: Stardew Valley album was released. Eric Barone collaborated with Norihiko Hibino on this album series, which remixes video game soundtracks with piano and saxophone. It includes 10 tracks from the game's original soundtrack and one new track called "Beauty in the Seasons".

December 2021: Barone Regains iOS Publishing Rights

In December 2021, Eric Barone regained the publishing rights for the iOS release of Stardew Valley. This consolidated his control over the game's distribution and updates on the platform.

2021: Migration to MonoGame

In 2021, Barone migrated Stardew Valley from the Microsoft XNA framework to MonoGame. According to Barone, this migration "futureproofs the game and allows mods to access more than 4 gigs of RAM".

March 2022: Barone Regains Android Publishing Rights

In March 2022, Eric Barone regained the publishing rights for the Android release of Stardew Valley, ending Chucklefish's involvement completely. This marked the final step in consolidating his control over the game's distribution.

September 2022: Terraria Introduces Stardew Valley Items

In September 2022, Terraria introduced several items from Stardew Valley into the game, marking a crossover between the two popular titles.

2022: Resurgence of Farming Simulators

According to Destructoid in 2022, Stardew Valley played a large part in the recent resurgence of farming simulators, describing the game as a "full-on cultural phenomenon" and one of the most successful indie games.

August 2023: The Official Stardew Valley Cookbook Announced

In August 2023, The Official Stardew Valley Cookbook, featuring adaptations of more than 50 in-game recipes, was announced, bringing the game's culinary creations to real life.

October 10, 2023: Stardew Valley: Festival of Seasons Concert Tour

On October 10, 2023, Eric Barone promoted the first Stardew Valley concert tour, Stardew Valley: Festival of Seasons, bringing the game's music to live audiences.

March 2024: Major Content Update

In March 2024, Eric Barone published an update that significantly expanded on the initial features of Stardew Valley. This update introduced new content and enhancements to the game.

May 14, 2024: Release of The Official Stardew Valley Cookbook

On May 14, 2024, The Official Stardew Valley Cookbook was released, featuring adaptations of more than 50 in-game recipes.

October 2024: Soccer Mommy Releases "Abigail"

In October 2024, American singer-songwriter Soccer Mommy released a song called "Abigail," in reference to the Stardew Valley character Abigail.

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November 20, 2024: Announcement of Stardew Valley: Symphony of Seasons Concert Tour

On November 20, 2024, Eric Barone announced the second Stardew Valley concert tour, Stardew Valley: Symphony of Seasons, continuing to bring the game's music to live audiences.

2024: Influence on Modern Farming Simulators

In 2024, PC Gamer described Stardew Valley as the backbone of modern farming simulators, noting that new entries in the genre are routinely compared to it, and that its success sparked a wave of similar "Stardew-esque" games.

2024: Best Ongoing Game Award

In 2024, Stardew Valley received the Best Ongoing Game award by PC Gamer, and Gamesindustry.biz featured it as one of their Games of the Year.

March 2025: Baldur's Village Mod Release and Removal

In March 2025, a fan-made Baldur's Gate 3-themed mod called Baldur's Village was released for Stardew Valley. It received praise from Larian Studios founder Swen Vincke. Later that month, lawyers representing Wizards of the Coast had the mod removed under DMCA.

April 1, 2025: Wizards of the Coast Apologizes for DMCA

On April 1, 2025, Wizards of the Coast issued a statement apologizing for the DMCA takedown of the Baldur's Village mod, stating that it happened in error. This addressed the controversy and sought to restore goodwill with the modding community.

August 2025: Infinity Nikki Collaboration Announcement

In August 2025, Infinity Nikki announced a collaboration with Stardew Valley, suggesting potential integration or crossover content between the two games.

August 2025: Stardew Valley (Festival of Seasons) Instrumental Album Release

In August 2025, the instrumental album Stardew Valley (Festival of Seasons) was released, featuring 16 songs from the game.

November 2025: Among Us Collaboration Announcement

In November 2025, Among Us announced a collaboration with Stardew Valley that ran until February 18, 2026, indicating a limited-time crossover event between the two games.

December 25, 2025: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Release

On December 25, 2025, the Nintendo Switch 2 edition of Stardew Valley was released, potentially bringing enhanced performance and features to the game on the new console.

February 2026: Stardew Valley Sales Milestone

By February 2026, Stardew Valley had sold 50 million copies, becoming one of the best-selling video games. The game has been cited as one of the best video games ever made. It also appeared on several publications' year-end lists and received accolades, including the Breakthrough Award at the Golden Joystick Awards and a nomination for Best Game at the British Academy Games Awards.

February 2026: Sales Milestone

By February 2026, Stardew Valley had sold over 50 million copies, with 26 million on PC and 7.9 million on Nintendo Switch.

February 18, 2026: End of Among Us Collaboration

The collaboration between Among Us and Stardew Valley that was announced in November 2025 concluded on February 18, 2026. The temporary crossover event was over, ending the integration between the two games.

2026: Modding Community Growth

As of 2026, Stardew Valley has a thriving modding community with over 28,000 mods created by players. Mods range from cosmetic changes to adding new characters and locations.