Within weeks of breaking new records on PC, Stardew Valley has seen yet another massive player count spike, with many attributing it to the longtime popularity of the game, recent milestones on Steam, and a summer sale that has enticed first-time players. Stardew Valley has maintained a strong presence at the forefront of wholesome gaming, and the beloved farming sim is proving its staying power with new accomplishments.
First launched in 2016, Stardew Valley has cemented itself as a pillar of the life-sim genre, with many considering it to be one of the most successful indie games of all time and one of the catalysts to the rise in popularity of cozy games over the past decade. With the 2024 release of the big Update 1.6 greatly expanding dialogue options, end-game content, and more, it should come as no surprise that the quaint indie game is continuing to delight audiences.
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Stardew Valley is in Good Company Among Steam’s Best Games of All Time
With Stardew Valley reaching a major milestone, it has positioned itself among the ranks of true gaming giants that share similar accolades.
According to data compiled by SteamDB, Stardew Valley hit its highest PC player count of 2025 on July 6, with an impressive 24-hour peak of 157,851 players on Steam, at the time of writing. Less than a week prior, Stardew Valley officially became the highest-rated indie game on Steam, with an overall user rating of 97.66% across over 898,000 total reviews. News of the milestone achievement reignited interest in the game among veteran fans while drawing in first-timers, driving up total player counts for Stardew Valley. Additionally, the Steam Summer Sale 2025 has the title marked at 50% off, giving interested gamers a chance to grab the smash-hit indie juggernaut for just $7.49 and find out for themselves why Stardew Valley has remained a top choice.
Why is Stardew Valley so popular?
In addition to becoming the highest-rated indie game, Stardew Valley managed to dethrone Portal 2 and become the highest-rated game of all time on Steam, though rankings between the two remain fluctuating. Many attribute the game’s popularity to its relaxing gameplay, adorable visuals, wholesome characters, and expansive story. Players can choose to focus on farming, fishing, foraging, mining, or crafting while building and designing a customized farm and befriending dozens of NPCs. The title offers a high level of replayability, and free updates with fresh content additions have kept the game exciting for longtime players while also bringing in new fans. Audiences can snag Stardew Valley at a discount until the Steam Summer Sale ends on July 10.
The success of Stardew Valley has been hailed as a sign of broader changes in the industry, with many now seeing indie games as having the potential to go toe-to-toe with major AAA releases. Whether Stardew Valley will maintain its ongoing player count momentum remains to be seen, but the consistent praise from players and critics, along with long-term support from the developer, have earned the farming sim its top spots on Steam’s charts.
Stardew Valley
- Released
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February 26, 2016
- ESRB
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E for Everyone (Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco)
- Developer(s)
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ConcernedApe
- Publisher(s)
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ConcernedApe
- Engine
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Proprietary