In a major blow to its Apple Arcade subscription gaming service, Apple has announced the imminent arrival of the hugely popular Stardew Valley title.
The game, which blends RPG and farming simulation elements into a simple and relaxing package, is already available on the iOS App Store (it costs $4.99/£4.99) and many other platforms. Some time ago, Apple changed its policy of only allowing new original games in Apple Arcade that had never appeared before in the App Store or other platforms. Now, Arcade includes many App Store classics that differ only in that they have no fees, ads, or in-app purchases. These are indicated by a “+” at the end of the title and a slightly modified icon: Stardew Valley+ on Apple Arcade is one of these titles.
Despite being created (at least initially) by a single developer, Stardew Valley has proven hugely popular on all platforms and frequently appears on lists of the greatest games of all time. More relevantly for Apple, he represents an individual kind hit: a crossover hit that resonates with non-traditional and casual gamers as well as core gamers. As the inclusion of games such as Disney Coloring World and Cooking Mama show, Apple wants Arcade to cover more bases than the console ports and addictive match-three puzzles the iPhone is best known for.
There have been a few big names on Arcade before, from The Room and Don’t Starve to Monument Valley and Football Manager 2023, but Stardew Valley is arguably the biggest yet. Some still wonder if Apple really remains committed to the service (or what the service actually stands for), but that should silence the doubters for now.
According to the Coming Soon section of Apple Arcade’s games list, Stardew Valley+ is scheduled to arrive on July 21. Another massive cross-platform hit that already exists in the App Store, Slay the Spire+, drops July 7th. We also recommend Ridiculous Fishing EX, which is slated to arrive on July 14.
