Support NeoGAF

[ArtHands]

Stardew Valley - Press

www.stardewvalley.net

As of December 2024, Stardew Valley has sold over 41 million copies across all platforms, with over 26 million copies sold on PC, and 7.9 million copies on the Nintendo Switch.

From Feb 2024

As of February 2024, Stardew Valley has sold over 30 million copies across all platforms, with over 19 million copies sold on PC alone.

So from Feb to Dec, the game sold an additional 11m copies (7m on PC, 4m on consoles and mobiles)

 

[TVexperto]

I hope he bought his wife lots of flowers from that money

 

[Kerotan]

I'm surprised Nintendo didn't sue them.

 

[Holammer]

Said it before, but it looks like Stardew sold more than every Harvest Moon & Story of Seasons combined. Hell, Rune Factory too.
Japan used to be the OG, now they're getting destroyed by "a guy".

 

[efyu_lemonardo]

Laughing all the way to the bank. How are publishers not chasing indie trends?

 

[Fahdis]

Wife made me buy it. It's actually quite cute playing together. I get to see how planned her analytical and observant her mind can be.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

If there is a game that be TOO chill, it's this game. Bought it, played it for an hour, I can see why it's appealing but it's not for me.

 

[Complistic]

Couldn't happen to a better game.

 

[LordOcidax]

I'm surprised Nintendo didn't sue them.

They don't have to, the 30% of 8 million of copies is enough .

 

[geary]

Laughing all the way to the bank. How are publishers not chasing indie trends?

This could be a side project for many other publishers and big devs. Take a team if 20-30 ppl and create an AA game focused on innovation in gameplay mechanics. Could be used as prototype for their AAA games.

An example here is Grounded from Obsidian.

 

[Fabieter]

Laughing all the way to the bank. How are publishers not chasing indie trends?

Sqaure enix tried. Big publishers might no try it enough but every month there is like 100 farming sims coming out on steam.

 

[LordOcidax]

Laughing all the way to the bank. How are publishers not chasing indie trends?

Almost every big publisher has their own "indie like" division.

 

[Kerotan]

They don't have to, the 30% of 8 million of copies is enough .

It wasn't enough for pal world and there's 33 million copies they got zero from and instead Sony/MS/Google/Apple/Steam etc got 30% of the share.

 

[demented waffle]

It wasn't enough for pal world and there's 33 million copies they got zero from and instead Sony/MS/Google/Apple/Steam etc got 30% of the share.

Good luck trademarking a genre. They're were suing palworld over a mechanic. Not the genre.

 

[PeteBull]

Not my fav genre but gotta respect those sale numbers, kudos!

 

[Evil Calvin]

....and why is this news now?

 

[Kerotan]

Good luck trademarking a genre. They're were suing palworld over a mechanic. Not the genre.

Plenty of mechanics and similarities in stardew to Nintendo game's.

 

[MMaRsu]

....and why is this news now?

Because its an amazing achievement a solo developer? And well deserved because the game is amazing.

Not everything has to be negative to be news, I know, shocker

 

[demented waffle]

Plenty of mechanics and similarities in stardew to Nintendo game's.

I can think of nothing that isn't generic. Palword had the sphere thing, which could be argued to be specific.

 

[Stitch]

Plenty of mechanics and similarities in stardew to Nintendo game's.

Uhh ok, which games?

Marvelous might've been able to sue them, but instead they pumped out more Story of seasons games... and they kinda suck.

 

[Soapbox Killer]

That makes it one of the 10 best selling games of all time. That is impressive

 

[Boss Mog]

Isn't that game really cheap?

 

[LordOcidax]

It wasn't enough for pal world and there's 33 million copies they got zero from and instead Sony/MS/Google/Apple/Steam etc got 30% of the share.

 

[demented waffle]

Isn't that game really cheap?

8.99 on steam atm, and only 14.99 at regular price. Pretty sure I paid 11.99 many years ago. So ya, it's cheap, but the dude who created is still filthy rich. lol

 

[daxgame]

well deserved.

 

[poodaddy]

My wife is utterly obsessed with this game. It's not exactly my thing, but I have to admit it's remarkably well made, so good on Concerned Ape and I'm happy for his success.

 

[Hookshot]

Always weird when Nintendo never includes these digital games in their financials. Unless they come out and say we never know how much this or Suika etc sell.

 

[LordOcidax]

Always weird when Nintendo never includes these digital games in their financials. Unless they come out and say we never know how much this or Suika etc sell.

Digital sales are included in their financial reports, i think that you're talking about retailers reports like Circana or UK retailers reports.

 

[Holammer]

....and why is this news now?

A solo developed indie game from 2016 sells 11M copies in a year is not news worthy?
At a time when high budget AAA titles struggle to sell 1M.

 

[Hookshot]

Digital sales are included in their financial reports, i think that you're talking about retailers reports like Circana or UK retailers reports.

But do they give sold numbers? I know they update their games but I don't recall them ever saying the sales of something like Vampire survivors or Terraria

 

[Interfectum]

Laughing all the way to the bank. How are publishers not chasing indie trends?

A lot of the biggest indie games are usually passion projects developed over years with multiple community alpha and beta tests. AAA publishers, by their very nature, can't pull that off on a consistent basis.

 

[Holammer]

Laughing all the way to the bank. How are publishers not chasing indie trends?

Square Enix tried with Harvestella (2022). They added the usual Final Fantasy style over-designed costumes with frills and multiple belts. It made an audible thud as it failed with piddling reviews and no positive word of mouth.
Developed by a pretty big team too, wonder if they even managed to break even?

Harvestella credits (Windows, 2022) - MobyGames

The official game credits for Harvestella released on Windows in 2022. The credits include 821 people.

www.mobygames.com

Remake the original SNES Harvest Moon and put NatsumeAtari on the job. You only need 2 dozen people and It'll sell 10M easy for 15-18$. It's so fucking obvious, why haven't it been done yet?
... and no fucking DLC. Stardew & Terraria sell more copies with free mega updates.

 

[N0S]

Yeah, I bought it for SD with the ongoing winter sale.

 

[tusharngf]

I tried to get into it but its not my thing

 

[ElCasual]

The wife is ready to recover her money and the divorce for more money.

 

[LavitzSlambert]

Awesome game, it had perfect timing and placement in an underserved genre.

 

[Edgelord79]

I've said it before but I think this is possibly the game on the decade for several reasons. Really incredible. And made by one guy.

 

[Braag]

We have like 80 hours on this with my gf. The soundtrack slaps too.

 

[touchfuzzy]

That makes it one of the 10 best selling games of all time. That is impressive

Also one of the best selling games of the year 2024, despite releasing 8 years ago and selling well the whole time this might be its best year of sales. Crazy.

 

[Robb]

But do they give sold numbers? I know they update their games but I don't recall them ever saying the sales of something like Vampire survivors or Terraria

They never will because those aren't their games and it's not their information to share.

You'd have to check a different company's financials to get that data (the developer and/or publisher - if they share it).

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

Right or wrong, I judge people quite harshly who shit on Stardew Valley.

 

[Soapbox Killer]

Also one of the best selling games of the year 2024, despite releasing 8 years ago and selling well the whole time this might be its best year of sales. Crazy.

Somehow I missed this number. 11 million copies sold in the year of our Lord 2024? What in the name of James caused this? I haven't heard quack about Stardew Valley in years. (not that i'm in the know like that)

 

[violence]

One guy getting the entire developer cut of the pie.

 

[touchfuzzy]

Somehow I missed this number. 11 million copies sold in the year of our Lord 2024? What in the name of James caused this? I haven't heard quack about Stardew Valley in years. (not that i'm in the know like that)

There was a big update this year that added a number of new items and features, not quite an expansion-tier update like 1.5 but enough to drive some new sales. Still, crazy to pull that big of numbers off a fairly pedestrian update.

 

[Gen.Grievous]

I remember seeing a news item about concerned ape. Pretty cool he did everything himself. Grinding away for 4-5 years, not sure how it would be received.

 

[Kerotan]

I'm right you know!

 

[LordOcidax]

I'm right you know!

Palword is not available on Eshop, i don't know what are you talking about. I think you missed my point.

 

[Trilobit]

If there is a game that be TOO chill, it's this game. Bought it, played it for an hour, I can see why it's appealing but it's not for me.

I actually found it too stressful. I hate games where there's time limits and you feel a constant stress. Even the Harvest Moon games paused time when you were inside a building, but Stardew Valley keeps it ticking all the time. No thank you!

 

[Drake]

JFC I had no idea this game was that popular. Who the hell are all these people?

 

[Evil Calvin]

A solo developed indie game from 2016 sells 11M copies in a year is not news worthy?
At a time when high budget AAA titles struggle to sell 1M.

It's 2025.....we don't need to hear about sales numbers of an 8 year old game. Why?