Last week, the satirical video game website Hard Drive posted an article reporting on the fictional uproar created by the introduction of a mandatory (and fake) Stardew Valley update, which cruelly deleted players save data the moment that they the opened up the game’s Wiki.
Now, one enthusiastic modder has taken the joke to the next level and designed a very unofficial add-on for the game that does just that, though thankfully the real version of the ‘hardcore mode’ is entirely optional. The mod was posted to Github by self-described software engineer and system administrator ‘lostkagamine’, and seemingly follows Hard Drive’s joke to the letter.
As reported by GamesRadar, the mod works by scanning every window on a player’s computer while the game is open, and will immediately erase the current save file in the event that it detects ‘Stardew Valley Wiki’ in the title of an open browser page. “I have since updated it so that instead of just deleting your save, it also closes the browser window it finds the wiki in, just to add insult to injury,” wrote the mod’s creator in a post on X.
i have since updated it so that instead of just deleting your save, it also closes the browser window it finds the wiki in just to add insult to injury pic.twitter.com/xQCaG19DSA
— akemi homura, fallen from grace ⌚️ (@nightshademagia) June 22, 2024
You have to admire the commitment to the bit, and the mod will undoubtedly catch the interest of players who occupy the shared space on a very specific ven diagram that includes ‘Elden Ring players’, and ‘Stardew Valley Enthusiasts.’ Those looking for a less unforgiving change of pace from the vanilla game would, however, do well to check out IGN’s list of the best Stardew Valley mods released to date.
March 19 saw the PC release of Stardew Valley’s highly anticipated 1.6 update, which brought with it a wave of new content to the cozy RPG, including fresh late-game content, a new farm type, items, 100 lines of original dialogue, and a whole lot more. The game’s creator, Eric ‘Concerned Ape’ Barone, has yet to reveal when the content will release for those playing on console, but has assured fans he is doing everything within his power to get the ports ready “as soon as possible.”
In the meantime, check out IGN’s updated 2024 review of the beloved farming RPG, or read up on what we know about Eric Barone’s next title, The Haunted Chocolatier.
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer