SuperData: Stardew Valley is an indie success with over 3.5 million copies sold

Stardew Valley has reaped what it sowed — that is, 3.5 million copies of the Harvest Moon-like farming simulator. It also boasts an impressive 700,000 monthly active players, according to industry analyst SuperData Research. Solo developer Eric Barone, aka ConcernedApe, partnered with publisher Chucklefish to debut the game on PC in February 2016, and has since launched it on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and most recently, Nintendo Switch.

A huge part of Stardew Valley’s appeal is how it evokes the nostalgia of Natsume’s Harvest Moon. It borrows a lot of the mechanics and some story elements as well: the player inherits a farm, plants and harvests crops, and wins the love and affection of townspeople. Like in Harvest Moon, magical spirits of the land can grant you boons and you can romance the non-playable character of your choice by earning what are essentially friendship points. However, Stardew Valley does depart from the script a bit by including some modern-day commentary with Joja Corporation, a global company that’s threatening local business with its cheap, mass-produced products.