Stardew Valley celebrates a decade since launch with a special YouTube premiere from ConcernedApe, revealing more about the upcoming 1.7 update and the new marriage candidates.
Stardew Valley Anniversary Video to Preview Version 1.7
Two New Marriage Candidates Will Be Revealed
Stardew Valley creator Eric "Concerned Ape" Barone announced on X (formerly Twitter) that a special 10th anniversary video will premiere on February 26 at 11:00 AM PST/2:00 PM EST, featuring commentary over pre-release 1.7 footage and a reveal of two new marriage candidates.
In his post, Barone said he created the video for the game’s 10th anniversary and confirmed it will go live on his official YouTube channel. In the replies, he also noted that the presentation will run for about 23 minutes.
Details about Version 1.7 have remained limited so far. Earlier this month, Barone confirmed in an interview that the update will introduce two additional marriage candidates, though he did not identify who they are. For now, it remains unclear whether the new candidates will be brand-new characters or existing villagers, some of whom have long been requested by fans to become romanceable.
Barone has also said that Version 1.7 will revisit how children function in the game, describing plans to make them "a little more interesting." While he has not shared specific details, the change would address a long-standing community criticism, as children currently remain limited to the farmhouse and offer little meaningful interaction beyond cosmetic presence after marriage.
He also hinted that 1.7 includes "a lot of other things" players have not explicitly asked for but may appreciate and discussed the idea of a potential farm map editor that could allow players to create and share custom layouts.
The anniversary showcase marks the first time pre-release footage from 1.7 will be shown publicly. However, no release window for the update has been announced yet.
Barone To "Never" Let Players Pay
The anniversary post quickly attracted hundreds of comments, including one user who wrote, "Please, can we pay for the update this time?" Barone responded, "Never!"
Stardew Valley was first released on February 26, 2016, for PC before expanding to consoles and mobile platforms. Since then, it has received several major updates at no additional cost.
In Version 1.1, they introduced new farm layouts and buildings, along with features like divorce and farmhouse upgrades. For Version 1.3, they added multiplayer support and additional in-game events. They followed it in Version 1.4 with quality-of-life improvements, new items, expanded character customization options, and more events.
Later updates expanded the scope even further. Version 1.5 introduced the Ginger Island region, the Beach Farm layout, new quests and characters, additional items, and extensive late-game content. Most recently, Version 1.6 added a new festival, the Meadowlands farm type, a mastery system, visual improvements, expanded dialogue, and broader system changes.
Barone has always been vocal about keeping Stardew Valley’s updates free. In 2024, he wrote on X, "I swear on the honor of my family name, I will never charge money for a DLC or update for as long as I live. Screencap this and shame me if I ever violate this oath."
Reflecting on the impact Stardew Valley has had over the years, Barone said in a separate interview that he feels a responsibility to the millions of players who continue to support the game. "I feel like I've been granted a very rare opportunity to be in this position," he said. "I have the capacity here to touch the lives of millions of people. That's a big responsibility and I want to do it as best I can."
"It’s never been about trying to be as popular as possible and as widely played as possible," Barone said when asked why players continue returning to the game a decade after release. "It’s never been a business. It’s always been about the game and about the players and about just making Stardew Valley the best it can be."
Stardew Valley is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series One, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Android, and iOS. For more information about the game, check out our article below.
Source:
Stardew Valley Turns 10: The Big ConcernedApe Interview
ConcernedApe on X: I made a video for tomorrow's 10-year Stardew Valley Anniversary
ConcernedApe on X: I swear on the honor of my family name
