A newly-released novel is shouting not only Stardew Valley but the game's solo developer, ConcernedApe, as a source of major inspiration for the book. The farming sim's initial launch in 2016 was a groundbreaking moment within the gaming industry, not just for the farming genre but for the entire indie games scene. Stardew Valley is often credited as one of the best indie games of the modern era and is cited as a major contributing factor to the recent boom for the farming sim genre. Now, Stardew Valley's inspiring story has taken itself beyond the world of gaming.
Stardew Valley's success story has been one of monumental proportions from humble beginnings for its creator. Stardew Valley was created entirely as a solo project by developer Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone, creating everything from the game's art and music to programming Stardew Valley by himself. The game has seen universal praise from both fans and critics, with Stardew Valley becoming one of the highest-rated games on Steam. The game and its creator have now gotten a special shoutout in the credits section for a recently-released novel.
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PostsReddit user ItsaMehMorning shared their discovery to the Stardew Valley subreddit, showing off the recognition for ConcernedApe's creation. The credit section of the novel cites the author beginning Stardew Valley in 2020, becoming inspired to write their book by the "small town" environment within the farming sim game. The show of gratitude even encourages their readers to play the game as well, specifically shouting out developer ConcernedApe in their thanks for the game. The Reddit user also shares the identity of the novel, revealing it to be "As It Was" by author Elle Rivers.
New Novel Was Inspired By Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley's monumental success has likely served as an inspiration for many modern farming sim games, thanks to its overwhelming success. Recent years have seen the farming sim genre reach new heights, with indie games in particular becoming a haven for farming games. Many have looked to bring their own spin on the genre, like Fae Farm introducing magic to the farming genre and Roots of Pacha shifting the genre into a prehistoric setting. Even major developers like Square-Enix and Capcom have tried their hands at introducing farming elements into some new games.
CloseStardew Valley fans should have plenty to look forward to, both from the farming sim itself and its developer's other works in the near future. ConcernedApe has suggested he may eventually consider a sequel to Stardew Valley, though he has stressed that making money from the franchise is not a priority for him. The creator has also continued to work on Haunted Chocolatier as his next major game, despite the game reportedly not being planned to release until a potential 2030 window. Stardew Valley's quaint environment will likely continue to inspire fans and creators for years to come.
