Eric Barone, developer of the hit farming simulator Stardew Valley, just announced on Twitter that he’s been working on a board game for the past two years. Stardew Valley: The Board Game is available to purchase right now.
He explained on his blog that he’s been working closely with board game designer Cole Medeiros to create a game that “captures the essence of Stardew Valley.” The board game will have nearly everything the video game has, from crops, foraging, and fishing to villagers, animals, and mining.
Here’s what you need to know about the board game:
Stardew Valley: The Board Game is for 1 to 4 players, ages 13 and up. To play through a full year in the game (which is the standard experience) it takes about 45 minutes per player.
Players work together to protect the Valley. If they succeed, it means that the Valley is brought back to life, and Joja Corporation is driven from town. The way you do this is by completing Grandpa’s Goals and restoring the Community Center. Your goals for each game are randomized, which adds to the game’s replayability.
Barone emphasizes that this is not a quick, casual board game. He explains that it’s not difficult once you know the rules, but there is some depth and complexity so you should be sure to read up about it before buying to know if it’s right for you.
Barone also clarified on Twitter that if the response to Stardew Valley: The Board Game is good and if there is enough demand, they will do more print runs after this initial batch.
If you’re interested in learning more about Stardew Valley: The Board Game and want to read the official rules, you can find out everything you need to know on the game’s website.
If you can’t wait to get your hands on this game, you can order it on the Stardew Valley shop website right here. It costs $55 and currently only ships within the United States.
As for other Stardew Valley-related news, the biggest update to the game is now available to download for free, and there are some new, exciting PC mods to add to your game.