On March 19th, a significant 1.6 update was released for the PC version of Stardew Valley. Immediately after its release, the game broke its record for concurrent players and burst into Steam's top 10 popular games. The update for mobile devices and consoles will be adapted a bit later.

What's new in Stardew Valley 1.6

A bookseller Stardew ValleyImage: EnsigameMeadowlands farm a new lot focused on animal husbandry featuring special blue grass animals love. The game starts with a chicken coop and two chicks, and you're gifted 15 units of hay for feeding because the silo for the same purpose isn't immediately available. It can only be chosen when starting a new game.

Meadowlands farm Stardew ValleyImage: EnsigameIf you decide to start your journey in Stardew Valley 1.6 from the beginning, you'll see a new cutscene with Mayor Lewis and carpenter Robin. We won't spoil the experience but will mention that new animations, dialogues, and greetings from all residents have been added.

The major spring The Desert Festival requires fixing the bus to travel to Calico. Over 3 days, the player and villagers will gather there. At the festival's end, a reward is given for which you need to collect temporary currency Calico Eggs. Items can be obtained in two ways: descending into the Skull Cave or fishing on Willy's request.

The Desert Festival Stardew ValleyImage: x.comTwo mini-festivals related to fishing: Squidfest on the beach during winter, and Trout Derby under Marnie's house in summer. During the colder months, villagers don attire tailored for the season, each with a unique design. The NPC menu reflects these seasonal outfit changes. Furthermore, Eric (the developer) introduced earlier nightfall in the winter, adjusting the daylight hours accordingly.

Trout Derby Squidfest Stardew ValleyImage: x.comWhile sleeping, you might see an event where Mr. Qi flies over the valley scattering mysterious boxes. They are collected with a hoe across the map, the number of drops is random. They can be opened at the blacksmith, like geodes, with rewards varying from 3 cups of coffee to wild seeds.

A new excellent universal gift for all residents Stardrop tea.

Some other changes:

  • Stardew Valley 1.6's cooperative mode supports up to 8 players.
  • Residents' schedules have been adjusted. Now, in summer, Penny and Maru spend Sundays together. Lewis visits the library on winter Sundays.
  • Jealousy added: players can flirt with all characters at once. If Elliott and Leah find themselves competing for the player, they won't visit each other. The same applies to Haley and Alex.
  • Pets received new colors, and you can now have more than 1 cat or dog, but first, you need to max out the friendship level with the first animal and build another place with a bowl.
  • A turtle pet was introduced.
  • Pickles, jams are colored according to the vegetables and berries they're made from.
  • New seeds that can't be bought and can only be obtained in the world by digging soil with a hoe.
  • Cook smoked fish, dried fruits, chop trees with fruits to transplant elsewhere on the lot.
  • New fishing gear, a bobber that shows what catch you're pulling from the water.
  • Experience books that can be read to gain a skill or craft level. Sold by the book trader, can be a reward from the fishing festival, found in Mr. Qi's secret boxes, or found in the world. For instance, you can gain the ability to see the price of your items in the inventory.

Visual updates:

  • Waterfalls added.
  • Residents decorate their homes before holidays. For example, winter buildings have Christmas decorations.
  • The menu now has a tab with all the animals, showing the level of love for the owner and whether the pet has been petted today.
  • Cats and dogs can wear hats.
  • New animation and sound accompaniment with the horse.

Also, among all the changes, players found an interesting note that sparked lively discussions:

Baby toss now has a chance to crit 
ConcernedApe 

The author has yet to comment on this. Social networks have created threads dedicated to this note, but no one knows what it refers to. It's speculated to be about the animation of tossing a baby at its crib, and a critical chance implies the possibility of seeing a new animation.

Main image: Ensigame