After almost two years, a new update for Stardew Valley is on the horizon. The last major update, version 1.5, was absolutely massive, adding new locations, NPCs, furniture, and items, overhauling the game in a serious fashion. Currently, there is no official date set for the release of the version 1.6 update for Stardew Valley, but fans should expect it by late 2023 at the earliest considering Stardew Valley is worked on by solo developer, ConcernedApe, who is also hard at work on another project.
Since ConcernedApe was spending the majority of his time on Haunted Chocolatier before putting it on pause for the newest Stardew Valley update, it's a given that the 1.6 updates will be less significant than previous iterations. With ConcernedApe's inevitable return to the development of Haunted Chocolatier in mind, fans should expect the 1.6 update to be the last content update for quite some time, ignoring fan-made modded content updates.
What Will Change in Stardew Valley Version 1.6
Very little is known about what to expect from Stardew Valley 1.6, but Eric Barone, also known as ConcernedApe, has given fans a bit of insight on Twitter. Based on his announcement, it appears that Stardew Valley 1.6 will primarily be focused on facilitating modded content. Since ConcernedApe is going to shift his focus back to Haunted Chocolatier following this upcoming update, allowing fans a greater ability to mod and play around with Stardew Valley seems like a perfectly logical move.
In the replies to the initial announcement, ConcernedApe confirmed that he would be adding more dialog options to the game, though it's hard to say whether this will be added dialogue for existing characters or if it could mean the inclusion of new NPCs altogether. Regardless, fans have long been calling for expanded dialog options for Stardew Valley's many romanceable characters.
Aside from the features confirmed on ConcernedApe's Twitter, the patch notes for 1.6—which are subject to change—reveal that the update will be mostly bug fixes and balancing with a few other minor and major changes. Among the biggest changes are that the world map will now real-time track players' positions, the farmhouse and pet bowl are now moveable, and the shops all have an added delay to prevent accidental selling by double-clicking. Still, by and large, the 1.6 update is focused on mod integration for Stardew Valley, allowing modders a greater amount of freedom and customization.
What Version 1.6 Means for Stardew Valley Mods
Stardew Valley boasts a relatively robust modding community with some mods changing only a minor aspect of the original game—such as in the Stamina Regen mod—with others aiming to add massive amounts of content like the Stardew Valley Expanded mod. As is, the 1.6 update appears that it will be a major boon for more comprehensive, involved mods like Stardew Valley Expanded.
Not only will update 1.6 fix a plethora of bugs that affect the majority of Stardew Valley mods, but it will directly add support for modded content such as allowing multiple events on the same calendar day, not spawning monsters by default on custom farms, and allowing for custom events with a greater amount of players.
Along with the major changes to customizability across all categories—NPCs, items, crops, and much more—Stardew Valley 1.6 will also implement a handful of important performance changes that should allow for modders to get more ambitious with their projects. As ConcernedApe steps away to focus more on Haunted Chocolatier, the 1.6 update should prove important for keeping the community alive by leaving it in the capable hands of its most loyal and dedicated players.
Stardew Valley is available now on Mobile, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One, and legacy platforms.