Stardew Valley’s creator, ConcernedApe, has been teasing patch 1.5 for quite a long time. It is shaping up to be one of the biggest patches this game has seen, and fans have been waiting expectantly for many months. Thankfully, though, Concerned Ape has been keeping us at least somewhat updated via his Twitter, @ConcernedApe.
In ConcernedApe’s most recent development screenshot posted to Twitter, there are some big developments, which most notably include split screen co-op, a huge win for fans of couch co-op. Soon, you will be able to play Stardew Valley with your friends without wondering where they are or what they’re doing in-game!
In Stardew Valley 1.5, there will be splitscreen co-op! pic.twitter.com/n7XhPWSuSi
— ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) October 16, 2020
There are several new craftables visible within the screenshot, and it seems as if more ways to customize chests will be present, all of which are placed on what looks like a new beach-style farm. If you look closely, you can also see that furniture can now be placed outside! You can zoom in to see new consumable items (one that looks like turmeric or ginger), a new weapon, and at least 2 new enemy variations.
Via older screenshots and posts, a new door in Willy’s fishing shack that may contain a new area.
Stardew Valley 1.5 update… notice anything new in Willy's shop? Progress on the update is coming along steadily. It's still in a "nose to the grindstone" phase, but some good milestones have been met. This update adds a significant new piece of end-game content and much more! pic.twitter.com/FmjgDJnqYO
— ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) July 6, 2020
Concerned Ape has also confirmed that you will be able to sit on furniture, and move the bed and cribs inside your house.
Furthermore, the patch will include several “quality of life improvements“, that we also know very little about, other than there will be a “new way to produce hardwood.”
yea, in the next update there will be another way to acquire hardwood
— ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) September 19, 2020
Via a twitter poll from April, banana trees will also be included in patch 1.5.
ConcernedApe is notoriously shy about release dates, and it is still unclear how the updates will roll out between the PC and console versions of Stardew Valley. As per the tweet about Willy’s new door, he posted that he was in the “nose to the grindstone phase,” but there have been small updates every few months, so the progress seems steady. Hopefully, more updates will come soon, but for now, I’m reopening my farm for what’s to come.