Stardew Valley modder-turned-dev says working on their “favourite game” is the “most rewarding experience” of their life

Stardew Valley, a remarkable indie creation by ConcernedApe, has become one of the most cherished games in history. Its enduring popularity can be attributed to a highly skilled modding community who continuously breathe new life into the game.

Among the top modifications for the charming pixel-art farming simulator game, Stardew Valley Expanded stands out as a significant fan-made expansion developed by Devin “FlashShifter” Hedegaard. Now an official developer contributing to the game’s updates, this creator shares that developing new content for the game has been the “most fulfilling experience” of their life.

Stardew Valley developer speaks out on joining the team 

Following numerous years of producing outstanding fan-made content for Stardew Valley, Hedegaard was welcomed into the game’s official development team to collaborate on its 1.6 update together with ConcernedApe. Having contributed to the game for over five years, this modder was invited to join the team to help create the game’s impressive final update, which also made modding the game more accessible for others.

In a recent interview with Nexus Mods, the developer, once just a modder, expressed that developing my preferred video game worldwide has been the most fulfilling journey I’ve embarked on in life.

Since 2017, when they became captivated by Stardew Valley, Hedegaard has crafted a vast expansion of their own for the PC version, an endeavor that continues to receive regular updates.

In a tight spot financially, I took a shot and reached out to ConcernedApe about potential work opportunities. To my delight, this move turned out to be fruitful as the modder was brought onto the Stardew Valley team, contributing to the development of the game’s 1.6 update – making me part of the creative process behind one of my favorite games!

The developer shared that he boldly approached ConcernedApe about employment, and surprisingly, was given a job. Reflecting on the situation now, it seems like everything transpired as it was destined to. Regarding my role in the Stardew Valley 1.6 update, I’d rather keep that confidential. I believe it’s unnecessary to apportion credit for individual contributions. For the time being, my work at ConcernedApe LLC remains undisclosed as well.

Stardew Valley not only led some modifiers to become official developers of the game, but it also sparked numerous other cozy games over time. Over a decade after its initial release, ConcernedApe’s reimagining of the Harvest Moon concept has fostered a new wave of relaxing farming games that continue to emerge.

Read More

2025-03-11 13:44