Stardew Valley Mod Adds Hardcore Mode That Can Delete Your Save (2024)

Thanks to a new mod, Stardew Valley now has a hardcore mode. For gamers who frequently use guides as a means to an end, Stardew Valley's hardcore mode will come as a huge shock. It originated from an online joke that one modder interpreted as a challenge, but Stardew Valley isn't typically the kind of game that justifies a hardcore mode, unlike The Last of Us: Part 2's Grounded or Resident Evil 7's Madhouse. The fact that the cozy life simulator doesn't usually support such restrictive gameplay only makes the mod all the more fascinating.

In Stardew Valley, players control a character whose grandfather passed away and left them a dilapidated farm as part of their inheritance. The aim of the game is to build the farm from the ground up and add a personal touch to the land. Stardew Valley follows nonlinear gameplay and allows players to explore on their own accord to grow crops, cook, mine, breed livestock, and just about anything else one can expect from a farm-building simulator. If the player decides, the main character can even marry and have children.

Initial conversation regarding a hardcore mode can be traced back to Hard Drive, a satirical gaming news outlet that suggested the idea hypothetically. According to Hard Drive's vision of a hardcore mode, a player's farm would be deleted if the game's official Wiki is opened at any point. Seasoned players will know that the Wiki is a hub for all things Stardew Valley, therefore restricted access would pose quite the challenge. In other words, players would be forced to go it alone. As GamesRadar reports, a modder by the name of Sylvie Nightshade turned the gag into a real threat for Stardew Valley player by uploading a video of the mod in action. When opening the Wiki mid-game, the screen immediately goes white before jumping back to the loading screen. Stardew Valley is no stranger to mods enhancing gameplay, but in the game's eight years of service, it has never seen anything like this.

Stardew Valley Hardcore Mod Deletes Your Save If You Open the Wiki

According to the mod creator (per GamesRadar), it works "by scanning the title of every window open on your computer and erasing everything if any window contains 'Stardew Valley Wiki' in its title." But that isn't the full extent of the mod's ruthlessness. If deleting the save file wasn't enough punishment for looking up guides, Sylvie also made it so the game detects the browser window it finds the wiki in and closes that too. It only took Sylvie a day to create a mod based on Hard Drive's suggestion. Mods for Stardew Valley typically add new items or gameplay mechanics that involve less evasive changes, but this is an interesting twist for an otherwise down-to-earth game.

For Stardew Valley fans with thousands of hours of playtime, it would certainly be devastating to lose an entire save. Thankfully, this is only a mod and not a mandatory limitation for Stardew Valley.

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is a hit Indie release that spawned a cult following thanks to its similarities to titles like Harvest Moon and The Sims. Players will take control of their own characters as they are dropped into the eponymous Stardew Valley and given an old dilapidated farm. They'll cultivate new crops and relationships with the NPCs scattered around the area, as well as combat monsters and embark on other quests.

Platform(s)

PC , Xbox One , Android , iOS , PS4 , Switch

Released

February 26, 2016

Developer(s)

ConcernedApe

Publisher(s)

ConcernedApe

Genre(s)

RPG , Simulation

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer , Online Multiplayer

Engine

Proprietary

ESRB

E for Everyone (Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco)

How Long To Beat

53 Hours

X|S Enhanced

No

File Size Xbox Series

1 GB (November 2023)

Metascore

89

Split Screen Orientation

Vertical or Horizontal

Number of Players

1-4

Steam Deck Compatibility

Verified

Local Co-Op Support

1-4 Players

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