It is no secret that indie video games have surged in popularity, thanks to the high-quality titles that sometimes rivaled or surpassed games from big studios. Such is the case for ConcernedApe's critically acclaimed hit Stardew Valley, which remains a popular game among farming sim fans ever since its release in 2016.
Of course, the significant factor contributing to Stardew Valley's continued success is the consistent release of updates from developer Eric Barone, bringing new things for players to experience in the game. One such update is the introduction of the multiplayer mode, which was added to Stardew Valley's PC and console versions in 2018. So now, here's everything players should know about Stardew Valley's co-op mode.
How To Set Up Co-Op in Stardew Valley From Scratch
While the singleplayer mode of Stardew Valley is a fantastic experience in itself, having friends around to help players grow crops and raise animals adds a new layer of fun to the farming simulator. However, it is worth knowing that Stardew Valley's co-op mode is only available on PC and consoles, and cross-platform play isn't supported at the moment. Additionally, the multiplayer mode of Stardew Valley supports both remote players and local co-op, but players can't have both simultaneously.
To start a multiplayer farm, players must select the co-op section on the main menu, and they will be asked whether they want to create their farm and serve as the host or join a friend's farm. From there, players will be able to invite friends and family immediately by setting the number of "starting cabins" that would accommodate the number of players joining the game. Similar to the singleplayer mode, players can choose among several farm layouts in the game, but ConcernedApe added a new format tailored fit for multiplayer called Four Corners farm. This map is designed to fit four whole farms on the same land.
Once multiplayer is set up, players can now invite friends via LAN connection or send them an invite code that can be found in the options menu in the multiplayer section. In addition, friends who will be joining a game will see the "join a LAN game" option, or enter an "invite code" in the co-op section in the main menu.
How To Set up Co-Op From a Singleplayer Farm in Stardew Valley
Luckily for those who already have established farms in singleplayer mode, Stardew Valley allows players to convert their singleplayer farm into multiplayer. To do this, players must head to Robin's shop first and ask her to build additional cabins to accommodate new farmers. Building a cabin is pretty cheap and only costs 100 gold and 1o stones or wood. This makes it easy for players who have just started working on their farm to enlist the help of friends and family, without having to raise a lot of money or gather necessary resources.
Benefits of a Multiplayer Farm in Stardew Valley
One of the best perks that multiplayer farms have against singleplayer is that farm work can be done faster. But, of course, veteran Stardew Valley farmers would know that more hands mean more significant profit, given that chores can be divided among players as well as mining for resources. Additionally, Stardew Valley offers four options in multiplayer mode that allow farmers to tailor-fit their experience to their preference.
- Starting Cabins - this option dictates the cabins that will be available on the farm. One additional co-op farmer requires their own cabin.
- Cabin Layout - this option lets players decide where a cabin will be built so each farmer will have their area on the farm
- Profit Margin - to add challenge to the game, players can adjust the amount of profit they gain from each item or crop sold.
- Money Style - players can either choose to have shared money or have separate wallets for each co-op farmer.
Quests are kept on an individual level, but players can help each other finish quests. However, players should keep in mind that the difficulty of each quest will be based on the highest level player. Additionally, each player's tools will have to be upgraded individually, but players can also freely trade tools with each other. Lastly, marriage and romance in co-op mode work similar to the singleplayer mode, and each co-op farmer can pursue any eligible villager they want. However, it should be noted that a villager can only be married to one player at a time. Also, players can marry each other in the game. This can be achieved by giving them a wedding ring.
Stardew Valley is available now on Mobile, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.