The Psychgeist Of Pop Culture: Stardew Valley

From Faming Simulator to Fae Farm, Harvest Moon to Slime Rancher, it’s hard to find a fan of videogames who hasn’t played at least one farm related game at some point. There’s rarely a time in recent years when there isn’t at least one game on the steam top sellers list that allows players to take up a pickaxe, shovel, or water bucket and tend to their own idyllic virtual homestead. Yet Stardew Valley stands apart in its ability to capitalize on this inherent charm of simulated farm life. What is it that makes Stardew Valley such a fan favorite for setting up their virtual farm? What is it about the prospect of having your own virtual plot of land to tend that carries such a lasting and widespread interest? In this chapter, we explore the different factors that make farming games so enticing, from the routine schedules, to the sense of community, to the satisfying feeling of selling off your first hard earned gold star turnip. We then look at some of the very real factors in culture and experiences that may contribute to the pervasive appeal of virtual farm life in these cozy communities, with comparisons to other cozy games that fans the world over have enjoyed.