Stardew Valley just got a huge update, adding a new endgame region

The complex farming simulation RPG Stardew Valley has just gotten even deeper thanks to a massive patch released ahead of its fifth anniversary. The 1.5 update adds an entirely new endgame region called Ginger Island, which is part of the Fern Islands. The zone features a quest line involving multiple NPCs, a volcano dungeon that changes every time you visit it, and a resort you can unlock that will let villagers visit the island in their new beach attire.

The update also adds a host of new crops, farm animals, monsters, craftable items, food, fertilizers, fishing tackle, rings, hats, shoes, and more. The game also has 15 new hairstyles, more weapons, and new fish. It’s going to take a huge amount of playing to encounter all the new content. If you want to do it with friends, you can now play in local split-screen mode on multiplayer and various multiplayer bugs have been fixed.

While Stardew Valley is one of the best strategy and simulation games on Xbox One, this update isn’t available there yet. Developer Eric Barone said it will hit consoles in early 2021 and mobile devices sometime after that. This update provides a great time to get into the game, and if you want to try it be sure to check out our Stardew Valley beginner’s guide.