Stardew Valley’s biggest rival is officially releasing next year and has the potential to be the next beloved indie darling success story.
When it comes to being labelled with the term “indie darling”, perhaps no better game reflects that more so than 2016’s Stardew Valley, developed by the one-man team, ConcernedApe, namely, Eric Barone.
Since that time, Stardew Valley has taken on a life of its own by spawning merchandise, a board game and more for fans to experience the popular title in new ways.
What’s more, for nearly a decade, not only has Stardew Valley been ported to almost every platform imaginable across generations, but it’s also benefited from a wealth of free content updates that evolve the game for the better. And that’s not even taking into account the ever-vibrant modding community.
That being said, as much as we love Stardew Valley, many have probably experienced all that the game has to offer, which is why fans are eagerly waiting for the arrival of its spiritual successor from ConcernedApe, the Haunted Chocolatier.
Sadly, despite being announced in October 2021, the Haunted Chocolatier still does not have a release date. However, we want Eric Barone and his small team to take all the time they need so the game has every chance of knocking it out of the park when it’s finally released.
Thankfully, if you’re looking to branch out a little from Stardew Valley and want something to keep you busy while you wait for the Haunted Chocolatier, Fields of Mistria has you covered.
“Mistria, an idyllic village tucked between forest and sea, has offered you an overgrown but full-of-potential homestead in exchange for your assistance,” reads the description of the game on Steam.”
“Restore the town to its former glory after an earthquake wreaks havoc and strange magic begins to flow through the land. This spiritual successor to the Farm-Sim RPGs of the late 90s and onward builds the farm of your dreams as you discover magic, romance, and adventure!”
Fields of Mistria has been in its early access phase on Steam since 5 August 2024, but its developer and publisher, NPC Studio, has announced on Twitter that it will release in its full form in 2026.
✨Fields of Mistria’s latest roadmap is here!
Update 4: The Mines Update arrives in early 2026, featuring the conclusion of the Mines Storyline and a secret bachelorette! Plus a glimpse at what’s planned for 1.0. 💙
🔗 Read more: https://t.co/a4ALNFrVWz pic.twitter.com/MRww3dQu8b— Fields of Mistria ✨ Out Now in Early Access (@FieldsofMistria) October 8, 2025
The announcement of its release window was detailed in its roadmap, which outlines the new content that will be coming to the full game at launch, as well as its post-launch content.
For those who may be hoping that Fields of Mistria might come to consoles, you’ll be pleased to know that its developers intend for that to happen. There’s just no official timescale as to when that will happen, so patience will be a virtue, I’m sure.
We’ll keep you posted when we learn more.
