Since its release, Stardew Valley has been extremely well-received, but that hasn't stopped its sole dev from releasing several updates adding new content. The 1.5 Stardew Valley update in particular added new areas, NPCs, and late-game content, delighting long-time fans.
However, it seems that dev ConcernedApe isn't done just yet. During a conversation with a fan, he revealed that update 1.6 is in the works.
According to Barone, aka ConcernedApe, update 1.6 is coming, but Stardew Valley fans shouldn't expect a huge deal of content out of it. While he didn't provide many details, the dev explained that 1.6's update is mostly going to make it easier for fans to create mods for the game. It will contain some new content, but not on the scale of the 1.5 update.
With ConcernedApe's next game Haunted Chocolatier in the works, some fans likely thought that the updates for Stardew Valley would be over, perhaps barring any bug fixes. However, Barone isn't swearing off the idea of further updates for the game, simply stating when asked about a 1.7 update, "Who knows?" He also noted that while there will be some kind of connection between the upcoming game and Stardew Valley, Barone hasn't quite decided how far to take it, as he wants Haunted Chocolatier to maintain its own separate identity.
Fans may be a bit surprised by this revelation, as Barone had previously stated following the 1.5 update that he wasn't sure the game would receive any further additions. While he wasn't ruling out the idea entirely, he noted that he didn't have any plans for future content for Stardew Valley back in January. However, it seems that enough time has passed for him to come up with some new ideas.
Unfortunately, some fans can't access the 1.5 Stardew Valley update and all the content it brought to the game. Mobile players haven't received the 1.5 update yet, though Barone has repeatedly confirmed that it's still in the works and will eventually be released. 1.5 launched for PC players back at the end of 2020, and consoles saw the update arrive the following year. While most players will likely be excited to hear about an update coming regardless of size, mobile fans are still wondering when they can access the content other players have already thoroughly explored.
Stardew Valley still has a vibrant and active fan community that's kept engaged not only by official updates, but also the extensive modding scene. With Barone planning to make the mod development process easier for fans, there's no telling where the game could go from here, even if 1.6 ends up being the final update.
Stardew Valley is available now for mobile, PC, PlayStation Vita, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch.