In-game economies are an essential part of virtually all video games. Players obtain gold, then decide what resources to spend their money on, rinse, and repeat as they gradually obtain more and more currency. But as a lifestyle and farming sim, Stardew Valley's economy has come into question on more than one occasion.
It's far from controversial to say that Stardew Valley's economy is broken because video game economics are made for the sake of balanced gameplay rather than realism. This is why players end up with so much money in late-game, allowing them to purchase rare and absurdly expensive items, but of course, this isn't realistic. Still, there are some points about Stardew Valley's economy that might make more sense than players initially think.
Comparing Prices of Items in Stardew Valley
Analyzing the prices of various goods in Stardew Valley is what makes the economic system so suspicious, among other things. Compare the price of gold and diamonds, which are regularly seen as valuable in the real world, to produce such as melons and pumpkins. Gold bars are worth 250 gold and diamonds 750 gold without any professions modifying the price.
On the other hand, pumpkins in Stardew Valley start at 320 gold and sell for 640 gold for iridium quality, while melons start at 250 gold and sell for 500 gold at their highest quality. This means that a couple of either of those produce items is worth more than a diamond in the world of Stardew Valley.
To make things even more confusing, look at the prices of goods from vendors as well as the cost of services in comparison to the value of said goods. A beer at the Saloon is worth 400 gold, much higher than an entire gold bar. And to purchase the recipe for a triple shot espresso would run players a whopping 5,000 gold.
And recently, a Stardew Valley player analyzed the cost of purchasing a silo from Robin. Players provide her with the materials, so they're essentially paying for the service. A silo or a cabin costs a simple 100 gold, meaning that after spending two days—and nights—building one of these structures, Robin would be able to purchase half a salad from Gus at the Saloon with the profits.
Caveats to Stardew Valley's Economy
Some players have offered explanations as to why the costs of goods and services can be so wonky. Firstly, the Ferngill Republic, where Stardew Valley is located, is currently at war with the Gotoro Empire. Kent, Jodi's husband who returns to Pelican Town in Year 2, was off fighting in the war and is theorized to have PTSD because of it. Because of this, the costs of necessities like food would inflate, while the prices of luxurious items would likely not.
Players have also speculated about the cost of diamonds in the real world and their true value as well as their supply and demand. Diamonds are useful and are used in a variety of industries outside of jewelry such as medicine and dentistry. But contrary to popular belief, they're not actually rare like many other precious stones. They're only seen as highly valuable because of the De Beers marketing campaign, and a chairman of the company even called them worthless.
So perhaps it's that Stardew Valley doesn't mislead its citizens on the worth of diamonds. After all, it's not set in the real world, and diamonds are not used for engagements in this world. Rather, Mermaid Pendants are. It's also important to note that all gems can be infinitely replicated with the Crystalarium, further decreasing their value according to natural supply and demand. Food, on the other hand, cannot be replicated, and there's only a finite amount of soil that can be used to farm in Stardew Valley.
It's Just a Game
But again, obviously, Stardew Valley's economy was crafted for the purpose of balanced gameplay and not to mirror real-world scenarios. Buying a salad or coffee from the Saloon is as expensive as it is to discourage players from purchasing them early on in their save file. However, they become a useful way of obtaining energy later on, when players may not want to spend time or resources making food in their kitchen and have well enough money to start buying things for the sake of convenience. For the same reason, building an entire cabin only costs 100 gold so players can invite their friends to play very early on, even if it doesn't make any sense economically.
Stardew Valley is out now for Mobile, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.