In a major coup for its Apple Arcade subscription gaming service, Apple has announced the imminent arrival of the hugely popular title Stardew Valley.
The game, which blends RPG and farming-sim elements into a simple and relaxing whole, is already available on the iOS App Store (it costs $4.99/£4.99) and numerous other platforms. Adhering to Apple’s policy of only adding new and exclusive games to Arcade, this version will be a “plus” edition of the game with “new town upgrades, dating events, crops, fishing ponds, hats, clothing, and new pets.” It also won’t have in-app purchases.
Regardless of exclusive content, this remains a huge get for Apple Arcade. Despite having been created (at least initially) by a single developer, Stardew Valley has proved immensely popular across platforms and frequently appears on lists of the greatest games of all time. More pertinently to Apple, it represents a particular kind of success: a crossover hit that resonates with non-traditional and casual gamers. As is shown by the inclusion of games such as Disney Coloring World and Cooking Mama, Apple wants Arcade to cover more bases than console ports and the addictive match-three puzzlers that the iPhone is most known for.
There have been some big names on Arcade before now, from The Room and Don’t Starve to Monument Valley and Football Manager 2023, but Stardew Valley is arguably the biggest so far. There are still some who question whether Apple remains truly committed to the service (or what the service actually stands for), but this should silence the doubters for now.
According to the Coming Soon section of Apple Arcade’s games list, Stardew Valley+ is expected to arrive on July 21. We’d also recommend Ridiculous Fishing, which should arrive the week before.
