On its 10th anniversary, Stardew Valley creator Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone unveiled two new marriage candidates for the game's forthcoming 1.7 update: blacksmith Clint and desert shopkeeper Sandy. The announcement came in a commemorative video that also offered a retrospective on the game's development. Barone highlighted early prototypes and scrapped features from the project's origins.
Stardew Valley, the popular farming simulation game developed by Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone, marked its 10th anniversary on February 26, 2026, exactly a decade after its initial PC launch in 2016. In a special video released that evening, Barone provided commentary on the game's evolution, including pre-release footage from its 2012 prototype known as Sprout Valley. He described the early pixel art as "crap" and reflected on the project's trajectory, stating, "If I had just released this game after 6 months, where would I be right now?" Barone joked that the game "hit puberty" in a later build from 2013, which closely resembled the final version.
The video also revealed details about the anticipated 1.7 update, first teased earlier in February 2026. Among the additions are two new marriage candidates: Clint, the town's blacksmith often viewed negatively by players, and Sandy, the mysterious shop owner in the desert area. Barone had announced the inclusion of new romance options last August 2025, reversing his earlier stance that no further updates would come until after his next project, Haunted Chocolatier. The update will also feature enhancements to in-game children, making them "a little more interesting."
Footage showcased scrapped elements, such as procedurally generated mines inspired by Terraria and an underground goblin village. Barone noted the rapid improvements in the game's design over its development years. Regarding endgame character Qi, Barone clarified its pronunciation as "qwee." No release date for the 1.7 update was specified, and details on Haunted Chocolatier remain limited, with Barone describing recent progress as "very productive lately" but emphasizing it will "come out when it's done."
