"The Real Santa": Stardew Valley Fans Rally Behind ConcernedApe After An Emergency Patch Goes Live On Christmas Day

This Christmas it wasn't Santa Claus watching over Stardew Valley as the game experienced crashes, it was solo developer ConcernedApe who saved Christmas for the community. Eric "Concerned Ape" Barone is known for his constant vigilance of Stardew Valley, and when Xbox players found their game was crashing, he swooped in on Christmas Eve to fix the issues with haste for those who just wanted a bit of coziness added to their holiday.

As spotted by the Nerd Stash, Stardew Valley players woke up Christmas morning to a new patch that addressed game-crashing bugs. For Stardew Valley players on Xbox, a previous patch led to sudden game crashes that could have derailed the holiday plans of players looking to spend their time off in-game. Posting on X on Christmas Day, ConcernedApe explained that the emergency patch went live for both PlayStation and Xbox and would soon arrive on the Nintendo Switch.

Stardew Valley Developer ConcernedApe Is Deemed The Real Santa

The Community Woke Up To A Smooth Running Game On Christmas Morning

Stardew Valley fans were in awe of ConcernedApe's dedication to getting fixes out, even on the holidays. Redditor Kaartinen wrote on the Stardew Valley subreddit, "CA saved my holiday vacation. I really appreciate all that he does for this community and Stardew Valley." ConcernedApe's dedication to Stardew Valley is well known, so much so, that an image of his first work setup, which consisted of just one monitor, to a more appropriate upgrade continuously makes its rounds in the community as a sign of ConcernedApe's dedication to the title.

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The 1.6.41 patch made several improvements to the console version of Stardew Valley. According to ConcernedApe, these fixes addressed a bug in the Raccoon shop, a crash related to divorce, and RNG issues. Players also noted the patch fixed the user interface for co-op play. Glitches in the game can often lead to hilarious results that enhance gameplay. For instance, an architectural mishap with the Stardew Valley chicken coop made it look cooler than the original. However, no one likes a crashing game, and ConcernedApe being quick to address players' issues has endeared him to fans.

Our Take: Stardew Valley Developer ConcernedApe Deserves So Much

Fans Appreciate All The Hardwork ConcernedApe Puts Into The Game

Custom Image by Ben Brosofsky

No one expected a patch to be rushed out on Christmas, but ConcernedApe isn't an ordinary developer. As a solo act, he is constantly on top of the game and looking to improve Stardew Valley in any way he can. Players are looking to reward ConcernedApe's dedication to Stardew Valley by getting him the 'Labor of Love' Steam award this year.

ConcernedApe certainly deserves this award, as rolling out an emergency patch on Christmas is the best example of his love for Stardew Valley. Moreover, this is just the latest example of fans rallying around ConcernedApe. Fans often post thank you letters to ConcernedApe to express their gratitude for Stardew Valley and what the game means to them. It fuels the developer's efforts and has created a rewarding experience that players can enjoy this holiday and the next.

Sources: Nerd Stash, X(ConcernedApe), Reddit (Kaartinen)