The popular indie game Stardew Valley has reached its 10th anniversary. Despite not being a live-service game, solo developer Eric Barone, known as 'ConcernedApe', has consistently provided content updates. While the pace of updates has slowed slightly in recent years, the new 1.7 update is set to launch soon.

Eric Barone released a video on YouTube today to celebrate the game's 10th anniversary and the upcoming update. In the video, he reflected on early development versions and offered a sneak peek at the 1.7 update. Notably, he revealed new marriage candidates for the first time in years. At the end of the video, he announced that Clint the blacksmith and Sandy, the shopkeeper from the desert, will be available as romance candidates.

The addition of Clint the blacksmith as a romance candidate has sparked surprise in many ways. Clint has often been a target of teasing in the game community due to his grumpy personality, and he was considered one of the least favored characters among the beloved cast. It appears Eric Barone is attempting to reverse Clint's popularity through dedicated romance quests.

The exact release date for the 1.7 update has not yet been announced, but it is expected to arrive soon. Players returning to Stardew Valley can look forward to features including split-screen co-op and mouse support on the Nintendo Switch 2. While the release date for ConcernedApe's next game, Haunted Chocolatier, remains undecided, it continues to generate significant anticipation.