In the farming simulator RPG Stardew Valley, there's not much you can do once you're married and have had kids. For those looking for it, there's no endgame content. However, developer Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone is hoping to change that in the game's next update, Patch 1.4.

"The new 1.4 update does add some depth to post-marriage life... some additions that I'm proud of and I hope are very heartwarming for players... but I know there will always be more that can be done," Barone said in an interview with USG. "I've been unofficially calling 1.4 the 'everything' update because it touches pretty much every aspect of the game in some way or another. One of my major goals was to add in a lot of quality of life features that make the game more convenient and effortless to play."

Stardew Valley - Multiplayer Trailer

Barone also said Patch 1.3, the update that specifically adds multiplayer to Stardew Valley, is also "very close to being ready" for Xbox One. "I don't personally do the console ports, but from what I've gathered, every console has different tech and different requirements to meet," he said. Barone has partnered up with one other person to continue supporting Stardew Valley, but is also simultaneously working solo on a new, unannounced project.

In GameSpot's Stardew Valley review, Mary Kish wrote, "Stardew Valley [is] such a lovely experience, it encourages you to go out and be the best you can be, in whichever task that brings you the most joy. Stardew Valley motivates naturally, with blissful optimism."

As the indie game scene grows more competitive and ideas within the space grow increasingly complex, more independent developers are joining forces on small teams. Of course, there are still developers like Barone that prefer to work alone. In June 2019, we spoke to Braid's Jonathan Blow, Spelunky's Derek Yu, Return of the Obra Dinn's Lucas Pope, and Iconoclasts' Joakim Sandberg about the hard cost that solo game development can have on a person.