After selling over a million copies and garnering the adoration of critics and fans earlier this year, Stardew Valley has remained relatively quiet. A recent update on the main web site reveals the next step for the darling indie farming sim: console release. Stardew Valley will launch globally on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on December 14 (it will arrive Dec. 13 on PS4 in the US).
“I spent over four years developing Stardew Valley,” wrote creator Eric Barone for xbox.com. “[I was] inspired by games that I loved as a child such as Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing. Although the idea of a ‘farming RPG’ might have seemed odd at first, the games were very addictive and had a heartwarming charm that stuck with me. With Stardew Valley, my goal was to recreate that special feeling and bring it to modern platforms.”
Stardew Valley was originally slated for a Wii U release. But given Nintendo’s production ceases and upcoming launch of the Nintendo Switch, Barone has canceled the Wii U port in favor of the Switch. “Looking at Wii U and the current gaming landscape, we made the difficult choice to shift our development efforts to creating a version for Nintendo Switch. I believe the Switch’s unique capabilities could create some exciting opportunities for Stardew Valley.”
Stardew Valley has been this year’s massive indie success story. The pixelated farming game has a deep breadth of gameplay and undeniable charm. It’s still my current game of the year, and I called it a “love letter to 90s RPGs” in my review. If you plan on jumping in, check out our tips and tricks guide.
“Stardew Valley has been a great success on the PC, and I am very excited to share it with many new people,” writes Barone. “I hope you’ll enjoy your time in the valley!”
