Stardew Valleyplayers have rallied together to celebrate the birthday of the game’s creator and developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone, who turns 37 today. ConcernedApe began work onStardewin 2012 as a solo developer (but has worked with a team since 2019), and released it to widespread acclaim in 2016.Fan appreciation for his workis widespread, and very apparent on occasions like this one.
Reddit usererskolshared a post this morningcrediting ConcernedApe as a reason for many people’s happiness, and expressing appreciation for all his hard work. Many players took the opportunity to chime in, following in the age-old tradition of findingthe perfect gift for everyStardewvillager’s birthday.
Stardew Valley Fans Discuss The Best Birthday Gift To Give Such A Developer
A Beloved Stardew Tradition
Although many took the opportunity to express their appreciation in words,others wondered what might make the perfect gift for ConcernedApeon his birthday. Giving gifts is an important part of leveling uprelationships inStardew Valley, and it’s important to match the right gift to the right person. Presents given on a villager’s birthday count for a bigger relationship increase than gifts given at any other time (except the Feast of the Winter Star), so timing is everything.
One player,ODCreature98, suggesting they’d heard ofStardewfans gifting ConcernedApe various fruits, which is certainly thematically appropriate. In the early days of a new save, most farmers typically have little to give but the crops they’ve spent all their time and energy growing. These often do make great gifts in game, so long as the right kind of fruit is given to the right person. If they are home-grown, they’re also labor-intensive gifts that demonstrate the tangible impactStardew Valleyhas had on the gifters.
But others suggested something a little more unusual -Goodguy1066suggested sending ConcernedApe a plate of spaghetti, like “a normal person.” (Spaghettiis a common gift from Gus, the owner of the Stardrop Saloon. It’s usually received via mail.) Another user,Powermetalbunny, had a more ambitious suggestion:why not try and cram a full, three-tierChocolate Cakeinto ConcernedApe’s mailbox, like Evelyn might do?
These suggestions are just as sweet and good-natured gifts in real life as they are inStardew Valley. Some players, likenobrayn, suggested a more unusual approach to gift-giving:that practiced byStardew Valley’s own Pam.
Pam loves to send players randomBattery PacksandBeerin the mail, often claiming that she found them lying around in a drawer. She’ll also sometimes follow up these generous offers with requests of her own, asking the player to bring her a spare battery. These items have their uses inStardew, butto receive a loose battery or a lukewarm beer on your doorstep in real life is a lot less pleasant.
Our Take: ConcernedApe Is Loved More Than He Probably Realizes
Stardew Fans Give Genuine Thanks
But all joking aside, some players, likeOwn-Good-800took the opportunity to offer genuine thanks to ConcernedApe for his work onStardew Valley-not just for creating a game that they enjoy, but for bringing them comfort in times of trouble.Stardewhas often been cited as the precursor to the golden age of cozy games we now find ourselves at the tail end of. Whether you’reperfectly optimizing every aspect of your farmor simply running around giving loved gifts to every villager, it’s almost certain you’ve taken some solace inStardew Valleyat one point or another.
It’s hard to say whether ConcernedApe knows just how much appreciationStardewfans have for him. He does have active social media accounts, so it’s likely he’s aware of some of it, but just how much comes through the hordes of fans begging for new updates orHaunted Chocolatierisn’t really clear.He did, however, recently acknowledge all the positive sentiment aroundStardew Valleyin a recent interview withNintendo Life, saying:
“[W]hat I like to do is share things with other people. But it’s also been really touching that Stardew Valley has meant so much to so many people and just hearing stories about how people have bonded, playing multiplayer and all that - it really makes me feel good.”
So, while it’s not clear how much of his impact he’s aware of, ConcernedApe certainly feels a little of the love. TheStardew Valleycommunity certainly hasn’t been shy in communicating it.
Sources:erskol/Reddit,ODCreature98/Reddit,Goodguy1066/Reddit,nobrayn/Reddit,Own-Good-800/Reddit,Nintendo Life
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is a charming indie farming scene that took the world by storm. After inheriting a run-down farm from their grandfather, the player moves to Stardew Valley to start a new life away from the city. Grow crops, raise animals, befriend the villagers, and discover the secrets the valley has to offer.
