Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone, aka ConcernedApe, has confirmed the game’s upcoming 1.6 update will introduce a variety of new features – including a new festival, items, dialogues, and secrets. So far, Barone has not shown off any of the game’s new content, but there’s plenty of reasons to keep an eye out for its release.
Barone first announced the incoming update 1.6 in early June 2023, confirming that while the update would feature ‘much less’ content than the game’s previous update – which introduced strong post-story features and whole new areas to explore – it would be a significant addition.
At the time, he confirmed new dialogue would be implemented to expand the relationships players can build with their fellow Stardew Valley citizens, and that the game would become ‘easier and more powerful to mod’. Now, we know the update will also introduce several other reasons to keep playing.
Read: Stardew Valley will have new game content in update 1.6
As for specifics, Barone has remained tight-lipped – and perhaps that’s for the best.
While players will likely know what to expect of a new ‘festival’ – these are events where the townsfolk of Stardew Valley get together and share items, stories, or celebrations – the addition of new items and new secrets is very tantalising.
One of the new items is likely to be the Iridium Scythe tool upgrade Barone teased in an earlier tweet – but items suggests there will be other new inclusions coming to the game shortly.
As for secrets, that’s certainly something to get excited about. As many Stardew Valley players will know, there’s plenty of myths, mysteries, and secrets already hiding in the game – and they can be extremely weird, in a very fun way. Lore clues you find underground hint at the town’s deep history, and there’s a magic bubbling under the surface of the seemingly ‘normal’ town that makes exploration feel consistently exciting.
Travel far enough, and you’ll soon discover a strange, hidden history concerning an ancient war between magical races, and implications of a dark Stardew Valley past. With the introduction of yet more mysterious secrets, we could see this lore expand.
For now, there’s very little information available about Stardew Valley update 1.6 – but keen players can look forward to hearing more in the coming months as Barone continues work on the mini-expansion.
