It has been seven months since the launch of the Stardew Valley 1.6 update, and developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone is still making additions and improvements to the game. The latest update, version 1.6.9, has been released alongside the 1.6 update for consoles. One of the new features in this update is the addition of a new friend who helps players retrieve lost items.
Once players install the Stardew Valley 1.6.9 update, they will notice a special shop appearing in the secret woods at midnight. This shop allows players to purchase unique items that have been lost and cannot be obtained in any other way. These items can be bought for 10,000g, and this feature is available in multiplayer mode as well.
In addition to the new friend feature, players can now place legendary fish in fish ponds, with a limit of one fish per pond. These fish will produce legendary fish roe and will have a unique water color. The update also includes new Easter eggs, dialogue tweaks, JojoMart work portraits for Sam and Shane, and the ability to place beds and sleep in any constructed building that allows furniture. Furthermore, objects dropped in water will now float, giving players a chance to retrieve them within a short period.
The 1.6.9 update also brings balance changes and quality of life updates, such as improved automatic save game recovery and the re-sending of achievements, recipes, and important mail if players miss them. The patch is currently available on PC, and detailed patch notes can be found on Barone’s website. All features of the 1.6.9 update are included in the 1.6 update for consoles and mobile, which is also being released today.
As for future updates to Stardew Valley, Barone has not disclosed any plans beyond the 1.6 console release. He mentioned that he had been fully focused on finalizing the 1.6 update and had not made progress on his next game, Haunted Chocolatier, in a while. Therefore, fans may have to wait a bit longer for any news on that front.