The state of Stardew Valley in 2021: Is it worth it?

Stardew Valley is an extremely popular game. Steam reports that even now, there are an average of 30,000 monthly players. Still, it's an older game, so new players who are questioning whether to pick up a game from 2016 are justified.

Given that it's an old game and that it's arguably less popular now than it was then, it's not surprising that many players are wondering if it's worth it in 2021. There's also a significant competitor in the same genre, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, that has players considering which one to go for.

With all that in mind, here's the state of Stardew Valley in 2021 and whether or not the game is worth it.

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Is it worth playing Stardew Valley in 2021?

One thing should be noted first. A game is always worth it if the player likes it or wants to play it. The age of the game and the player base is irrelevant to whether or not a player should buy a game if they want it, with very few exceptions.

However, since there is some multiplayer in Stardew Valley, the question is valid. However, there doesn't appear to be a sequel on the way any time soon, so that the game will remain current for a while longer. Developer Eric Barone said:

"There isn't currently a Stardew Valley 2; after 1.5, I'll decide what the next step for Stardew Valley is. But I would say there will probably be another step for Stardew Valley. In the meantime, I'm also working on a couple of new projects - solo projects - so I have plenty to do."

It is five years old, but the 1.5 update was released for all platforms in June, so it's a relatively recent update. There's no telling how many more updates the game will have, but it has been recently updated, so the initial release date of 2016 isn't an indicator of the type of game it is.

Stardew Valley has no sequels on the horizon, per the developer (Image via Stardew Valley)

Either way, the state of Stardew Valley is fine and will likely continue to be fine for a long time. There's no sequel coming to push it out of the limelight, and it has a broader audience than many of its competitors. It was recently updated, so it is not antiquated, either. If players are considering buying Stardew Valley in 2021, go for it.