There are games that prove you can be a huge success without having a big name. Stardew Valley is one of them. A one-man project by Eric Barone (aka ConcernedApe), it continues to sell massively even 9 years after its release. It must be said that the game is regularly updated, occasionally adding a fair amount of new content. But after all this time, isn't its creator thinking about a sequel? He responds.
The first seeds of Stardew Valley 2?
Last year, Stardew Valley received a major update that significantly renewed the experience. New maps, new storylines, new crops... After bringing his game to all current platforms, Eric Barone continues to improve life on the farm by offering additional content. What's more, following the philosophy of the title, it offers all these patches completely free of charge, without in-game purchases or paid DLC. One might wonder if the logic is economically sound, but when you look at the sales figures, you can tell the man has what it takes. So couldn't this boom motivate a sequel?
Eric Barone recently addressed the question on the TigerBelly channel. However, his answer may disappoint some. He doesn't seem entirely opposed to the idea of a sequel, but he doesn't want to be considered "the guy who made Stardew Valley" forever. This is partly what's motivating Haunted Chocolatier, his next creation. But, if his first game hasn't had a sequel so far, it's also for a purely technical reason:
I could make a Stardew Valley 2, to be honest. But it's so much easier to add content to the first one than to create a new game from scratch. The main systems are already pre-built. And that's the least fun part of creating. Whereas when I do an update, it's like, "Oh, let's add this, let's add that."
Eric Barone (ConcernedApe), for TigerBelly.
As such, we have little hope of seeing a second installment see the light of day. It seems we're more likely to see spiritual sequels or original creations with a similar style. This will undoubtedly be a slight disappointment for some. But fans can rest assured! Even with the release of Haunted Chocolatier, Barone isn't expected to abandon Stardew Valley just yet. In a previous interview, he mentioned his desire to continue adding content from time to time, as long as it wouldn't harm the game as a whole.
Source: TigerBelly.
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