If you’re like me and you’ve been dying to play Stardew Valley, the charming farm life simulator, with all of your green-thumbed friends, we have good news for you. Stardew Valley multiplayer has arrived via a public beta on Steam.
Developer Eric Barone, who goes by the handle ConcernedApe, took to Stardew Valley’s Steam forums to announce the public beta and how players on Steam can access it. You can check out the full directions here.
In even better news, players can use their existing farms in the beta, although ConcernedApe suggests backing up all of your saves just in case. You’ll need to build each additional player their own cabin in order to host them on your farm. Or if you’re starting an entirely new farm, you can just start with three other cabins on the land ready to go. Players can join together over a wireless connection or a LAN line if they’re on the same network.
For the sweet corn farmers out there with sweethearts, players can now propose to another player once they earn the necessary ring. Keeping with the theme of cooperation, players will share inventories, money, and the farm itself, according to ConcernedApe’s post.
Stardew Valley debuted in early 2016 to high praise from critics. It quickly grew a rabid fan community that spawned multiple mods, console ports, and fan art. Taking the role of a disgruntled office worker, players inherit their late grandfather’s farm and start a new life in the titular region, planting crops, finding love, and maybe spelunking a cave or two.
Multiplayer functionality has arguably been the game’s most highly anticipated update since release, given its open-ended style.
There are no further details on when the multiplayer mode will release on consoles, although ConcernedApe has previously stated that those are in the works as well.
