‘I’m in this whole new world’: Here’s what Eric Barone had to say about the life-changing Stardew Valley 10 years ago this month
PC Gamer has republished a 2016 interview with Eric Barone from its archives, marking the 10-year anniversary of Stardew Valley’s cultural and commercial impact. Originally featured in PC Gamer #293 (UK edition, July 2016), the interview was conducted shortly after the farming simulation game’s initial release and captures Barone’s early reflections on creating the beloved indie title.
In the excerpt, Barone discusses his journey into game development, sharing that as a child he never considered how games were actually made—they seemed like “magic” to him. The piece provides insight into a pivotal moment when the developer was just beginning to understand the significance of his creation, with many features that would eventually define Stardew Valley’s devoted fanbase still in development. Notably, multiplayer, now a core feature beloved by players, was still on the roadmap at the time of this original 2016 interview.
The resurfaced interview serves as a time capsule of Barone’s mindset during Stardew Valley’s nascent phase, before the game’s explosive success across PC, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and mobile platforms. The retrospective also directs readers to a 2025 follow-up interview available on YouTube, in which Barone reflects on the game’s release decade and discusses his continued involvement with Stardew Valley’s ongoing development, as well as his vision for his new project, Haunted Chocolatier.