Stardew Valley update 1.6 is coming next month, ConcernedApe confirms: "Now, back to the grind"

The long-awaited Stardew Valley update 1.6 release date is set for March 19 on PC, developer Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has announced.

Barone shared the big news on Twitter earlier today, exactly one month after announcing that the update is finished as far as "major new content goes."

"It's the eighth anniversary of Stardew Valley," Barone writes. "Thank you for all the support over the years! Today I am announcing the PC release date for the 1.6 update: March 19th. Console and mobile will follow as soon as possible.

 "With a new update on the horizon, a worldwide concert tour underway, an official cookbook coming soon, and now over 30 million copies sold, Stardew Valley is thriving more than ever," Barone adds. "As always, I'm eternally grateful to the players (you!) for making all of this possible. Now, back to the grind. See you in three weeks."

Update 1.6 was once planned to be on the smaller side, but eventually expanded as new ideas and features were added in. It's now gotten so big that Barone previously recommended starting a new save file "to see everything in context," though the update will obviously be compatible with existing save files, for those not looking to start a new farm.

Barone continues to balance Stardew Valley updates with work on his next full game, Haunted Chocolatier, which – this will sound far-fetched – looks a lot like Stardew Valley. Except, you know, with more chocolate. 

Amusingly, Barone says Stardew Valley's name, now etched into farm sim history, "just came to me," after the original "was not pleasant to say."