“Unveiling the Most Efficient Strategies of 2024: A Reluctance to Let Goals Fade”

During the festive season, we are re-releasing one of the most renowned articles from Nintendo Life writers and contributors as part of our Best of 2024 series. This piece was originally published in November. Enjoy!

At the end of August, we ventured to Seattle to once again PAX West and had the wonderful opportunity to spend half an hour with none other than Eric Barone, also known as ConcernedApe.

If you’re not familiar with Eric, he is the mastermind behind Stardew Valley; the breakout farming game from 2016, which is still receiving substantial updates to this day.

We discussed his hobbies outside of gaming, his reasons for continuing to work on Stardew Valley, and what it was like to create assets for his exciting upcoming title Haunted Chocolatier.

Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and conciseness. Additionally, if you are interested in watching the video of our conversation, you can find it at the bottom of the page.

Nintendo Life (Felix Sanchez): I understand that you grew up playing a lot of Harvest Moon, but what other games influenced you while you were growing up?

Eric Barone: I played a lot of RPGs. Titles like Final Fantasy, EarthBound, Chrono Trigger, and various Zelda games; that sort of thing.

Which Zelda titles did you enjoy most?

The first one I played was Link’s Awakening on the Game Boy, and I really enjoyed that game. Then I played… Let’s see, A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask…

Which one do you prefer the most, Majora’s Mask or Ocarina?

It’s funny for me to say that given Stardew Valley. I know. [laughs] I should acknowledge that.

I realize you handle everything yourself; you wear many hats. How do you manage that?

I don’t really follow a strict structure; it’s more about what I feel like doing at the moment, keeping a broader vision of how everything fits together. There might be one aspect of the game where I do everything for that part right away, but there’s room to go with the flow because I enjoy the flexibility of solo development. One day I might feel inclined to focus on music, and that’s fine. I’m not very regimented in how I approach tasks; it’s more spontaneous.

I love the Stardew Valley board game; I’d love to hear about your hobbies outside of video games. Do you play board games yourself?

I do. I wouldn’t say I’m an avid board gamer, but I do enjoy them. The Stardew Valley board game was inspired a bit by… Have you ever played Eldritch Horror?

No, I haven’t.

Okay, well, I was slightly inspired by that; I guess it’s a bit of a niche board game. [chuckles]

I’ve enjoyed the Stardew board game with my friends, and it’s structured so delightfully. I don’t play many co-op games myself, but it works really well. We even play the Stardew Valley soundtrack, and it fits perfectly.

I’m glad to hear you enjoy it! How do you find it in terms of atmosphere?

I think it’s really great. It feels like, in the final moments, you’re always thinking, “Okay, we need to complete this before the end.” It’s always quite close, and I really appreciate that pressure. There was one instance when we simply didn’t succeed.

Among all the various elements in the game, what do you enjoy creating the most?

I would probably say my favorite—if I had to choose one—would be the music. Long before I ever got into game development, my primary passion was music, like playing in bands throughout high school.

What instrument did you play?

I played the guitar.

Lead guitar?

Yes, lead guitar.

Awesome!

I played in metal bands.

Oh really? That’s amazing!

But then I gradually shifted towards more electronic music and composing. For a while, I was part of an experimental electronic pop group. Always, though, my dream as a teenager was to be a musician—just to be in fantastic indie bands and perform shows like that.

That was my primary passion. But you know, there’s a part of me that enjoys every aspect. Sometimes I’ll think, “I want to code today,” because that stimulates a different area of my brain.

I recall watching a podcast you did with Reason. I believe it was a two-hour session where you discussed the music of the game, and you even featured a song from Haunted Chocolatier that served as a boss theme. I have that melody stuck in my head the whole time. [*hums the tune*] So, speaking of bosses, there aren’t actually any bosses in Stardew Valley. Was it a challenge to create a boss?

For Haunted Chocolatier?

Exactly. Can you elaborate on that?

Of course, I’m glad to talk about that… to some extent. Designing bosses is a completely different experience compared to what Stardew offers. I felt the need for something distinct. I aimed for a challenge because I want to continue evolving as a game designer. I didn’t want to simply recreate what I had already done. Many people say, “Haunted Chocolatier looks like a copy of Stardew Valley.” But they haven’t played the game, so they don’t really understand. Designing bosses is truly an art form in itself, and I’m still learning along the way. One of the bosses will reflect my growth as the game progresses.

Which one did you create first?

Yes, exactly. But I think even a boss can be straightforward yet still enjoyable. Ultimately, what matters is the enjoyment. That is my main priority.

You don’t want to make it too simple. That’s a really tough balance to achieve.

Indeed.

After working on something for seven years, you’d likely feel burned out, right? Yet you keep returning to the game. You’re developing this new title, but you still add new content [to Stardew Valley].

That’s true. I have countless ideas for Stardew. I feel like I could work on it for the rest of my life, continuously improving it and adding new elements, expanding the existing material. My main goal is to enrich what is already there. And here’s another point: It’s so unique.

Yeah, it’s sold over 30 million copies, right? That’s incredible.

Something like that! Given that, I feel compelled to keep it alive, make it vibrant, and please the fans. Engaging with them is really enjoyable. It’s rare to have so many people who appreciate this game and are willing to play it no matter what changes I make. What I want to do is create new things and share those experiences with others. Stardew provides an excellent platform for that because it remains very fresh and is still quite dynamic.

So it is somewhat challenging. I don’t want to see it fade away; I want to keep it thriving, but I also want to develop a new game. So I’m continuously trying to—

It’s a difficult balance.

It is!

And you’re the only one making it.

Well, I do have some help with Stardew updates now.

What aspects do you get help with?

Mostly the coding and technical aspects.

You also received assistance with the multiplayer component, right?

Yes, exactly. With the creative side, I am quite particular and want to ensure it aligns with my vision. But when it comes to programming, I focus more on whether it works. Players don’t necessarily need to see the behind-the-scenes coding.

I completely understand that. In video editing, there are times I wish someone could just look at it and say, does this work?

Indeed, there are areas where I’m simply not as skilled or don’t have the expertise to tackle deeply technical issues. I consider myself primarily a gameplay programmer, you know? I’m not a super technical programmer. My focus is to make it functional and enjoyable for the player—that’s my approach.

So, I work quite independently. I don’t often see or communicate with my co-developers except when it’s necessary. That must be pretty isolating when you’re developing a game for such a long time. How do you cope with that?

It helps that I’m naturally a solitary person. I think I’m pretty good at focusing on my creative endeavors and just locking in on them. Sure, it can feel a bit lonely. And when you’re creating something like Stardew Valley or any game on your own…