Pixelated farming sim Stardew Valley continues to grow, this time with a big 1.5 update for PC that adds a bunch of new stuff, including a beach farm map where veteran green thumbs can try their hand at growing crops in the sand.
“This update adds some significant ‘late-game’ content to Stardew Valley,” developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone wrote over on the game’s website. “It’s by far the biggest solid chunk of new content that’s been added to the game since launch.”
In addition to the new beach farm map, which offers a completely new environment and prohibits the use of sprinklers to help keep crops watered for an extra bit of challenge, there’s also a new set of advanced game options to customize new playthroughs, as well as more character creator options, including new hairstyles. Best of all, update 1.5 adds proper split-screen coop, letting you play the game locally with up to three other people, effectively offering an offline option for the game’s existing online multiplayer
Bird's eye view of the new Beach Farm. Also a reminder to check out the new "Advanced Game Options" button on the character creation menu if you're starting a new game! pic.twitter.com/NYf374Iq7L
— ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) December 21, 2020
Here’s a list of other things included in today’s update:
New people to meet
New goals
Many new items
A new type of quest
A new farm layout
New character events
A new Community Upgrade
Home renovations (after you’ve fully upgraded your house)
Ducks can now swim
You can sit in chairs
You can move your bed
Fish Tanks
A bunch of new furniture items as well as new furniture types like wall sconces
New secrets
9 new music tracks
And so much more… you’ll just have to see, I can’t bear to spoil it
The game’s changelog goes into even more detail, noting the addition of ostriches as new farm animals; crops like mango, pineapple, and banana; a host of qualify-of-life improvements like being able to talk to people while on horseback; a social tab menu to track who you’ve already spoken to that day; and the ability to actually sit down on chairs.
Barone also gave modders a head start with update 1.5 to help keep mods—liking riding around on other people—up-to-date. Unfortunately, console players will have to wait to experience Stardew Valley’s latest expansion. Update 1.5 isn’t set to arrive on Switch, Xbox One, or PS4 until sometime “early next year.”
Update – 5:17 p.m. ET, 2/11/21: Stardew Valley’s 1.5 update is now also out on PS4, Xbox One, and Switch. Barone says it should be live within the next couple of hours.
The Stardew Valley 1.5 Update for Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation are out, and should be available on all platforms within the next couple of hours.
— ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) February 11, 2021
