Stardew Valleyis a game about choices. After the briefest of introductions, players are set loose on their very own slice of arable land, allowed to improve it in just about any way that they deem fit. Farming, fishing, raising livestock, mining, and foraging for natural goods are allviable routes for progression inStardew Valley, lending the game a sense of freedom that few other titles can compete with.
It is perhaps for this very reason that the Community Center/JojaCorp dichotomy is typically considered one ofStardew Valley’s biggest missed opportunities. Players can essentially choose between honoring the legacy and community of Pelican Town or “selling out” and aiding JojaCorp in its aggressive economic expansion. Making the latter decision can effectively be described as buying one’s way through the game, replacing various projects, upon which major unlocks hinge, with much simpler monetary requirements. For example, instead of foraging for an assortment of seasonal plants to finish a Community Center Bundle, the player can just use in-game currency, transforming the charming, dilapidated Community Center into a soulless Joja warehouse. Mods likeStardew Valley Expandedattempt to flesh out this JojaCorp route, and succeed in ways that a potential spin-off game could learn from.
Siding with JojaCorp is essentially presented as the"evil" path inStardew Valley, which may invite unfavorable comparisons with other games whose “evil” story routes are far more consequential.
Why a Stardew Valley Joja Spin-Off Would Work Well
At its core, the story ofStardew Valleyis about getting back in touch with life’s simple joys: nature, interpersonal relationships, and rewarding labor. These are all things that corporate life lacks, and actively fights against, in some cases, so it might seem weird to imagine aStardew Valleygame based around ConcernedApe’s stand-infor the world’s most toxic companies. But it might work surprisingly well.
Stardew Valleyplayers may recall that the player-character is actually a former Joja employee, stuck in a cubicle, working away at some menial and potentially degrading task, before ultimately seeking an escape from modern life. Assuming that theplayer doesn’t aid Joja in Pelican Town, it can be said that this character winds up being successful in this escape, but maybe another game could ponder what things would look like if circumstances weren’t so cut and dry.
What if a Joja employee, just as disillusioned and tired asStardew Valley’s protagonist, didn’t simply inherit a rural, sizable estate from their grandfather? This theoretical protagonist would have to make real sacrifices to pull off their escape from modern society, and the comfort and security Joja offers could be alluring in spite of the soul-crushing work it thrusts upon them. Maybe this game couldborrow a bit fromAnimal Crossing, having the player go into debt to set up their cozy rendezvous, thus making a high-paying Joja job more appealing. Maybe the player could get substantial monetary rewards by betraying their ethics for Joja, making this corporation-employee relationship the central focus of the experience.
There’s no fail state inStardew: failure to accumulate resources simply means a lack of growth, not a loss. This theoretical spin-off could introduce such stakes.
This is all mere speculation, of course, and considering how much workConcernedApe is putting intoHaunted Chocolatier, this uber-specific spin-off idea might be little more than a pipe dream. But perhaps the concept of JojaCorp, alongside its unrealized potential, could inspire other developers to create something along the aforementioned lines. Who knows, maybe ConcernedApe will even lend out the rights toStardewat some point, letting other developers take a crack at this more experimental concept.
Stardew Valley
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You’ve inherited your grandfather’s old farm plot in Stardew Valley. Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, you set out to begin your new life. Can you learn to live off the land and turn these overgrown fields into a thriving home? It won’t be easy. Ever since Joja Corporation came to town, the old ways of life have all but disappeared. The community center, once the town’s most vibrant hub of activity, now lies in shambles. But the valley seems full of opportunity. With a little dedication, you might just be the one to restore Stardew Valley to greatness!
