Stardew Valley has had its multiplayer mode in beta for some time, and now its publisher Chucklefish has announced that the update will make an arrival in full this August.
The new co-op mode will allow up to four players to work together, either with three working as farmhands on the farmer’s land, or with everyone working as farmers on one host’s land. Stardew Valley‘s multiplayer is not a competitive one; according to the publisher, it’s all about working together to create the best farm. “In deciding what to share vs keep separate, our main goal was to encourage cooperation and teamwork,” the publisher shared. “Since the farm and your money pot are your main way of progressing through the game, they have to be shared in order to facilitate cooperation. Without this, there would be no need for players to even interact!”
Players will be able to build their own homes on the host’s land, and the update will bring a new chatbox and emojis to help facilitate group communication. Difficulty is also scaled in this update, if some farmers are newer than others. By adjusting the farm’s profit margin or produce sold, you can make the game a bit easier—or harder, if you’ve got a group of experiences farmers who want a challenge.
Stardew Valley‘s multiplayer goes even further in the name of collaboration. With one interesting co-op mechanic, players are able to marry (and divorce) each other, and marriages can be proposed via crafted wedding ring. And if things go south, and you’re not one for a formal divorce, you can get rid of the marriage by destroying the spouse’s cottage. It certainly sends a message!
In addition to the announcement, Stardew Valley‘s creator Eric Barone posted a new trailer in recognition of the upcoming multiplayer update.
Stardew Valley‘s multiplayer will launch on August 1 across its PC, Mac, and Linux platforms, including Steam and GOG.