Stardew Valley fans call on its creator to add more pronoun options

It’s been over seven years since the release of Stardew Valley, The fanbase is still as strong as ever. The fans are as active as ever. Stardew Valley Fans have organized to demand more pronoun choices in this beloved farming simulation. On Sept. 29, Canadian content creator Atmos Fierce started an online petition asking the game’s creator, Eric Barone, to add additional pronoun options as part of the upcoming 1.6 update. The petition, which was started on Sept. 29, has now received more than 3,000 signatures. It also revived an old conversation about how the game engages its queer fans.

Barone also called ConcernedApe on the internet, has releasedStardew Valley2016 Over 20,000,000 copies of this small indie title were sold on a variety of platforms. In the game, you play as a disaffected office worker who moves to their grandfather’s rundown farm in a rural town. When you start the game, you’re able to design your character, choosing between “male” and “female” symbols denoting two gender options — which automatically set your character’s pronouns as “he/him” or “she/her,” respectively. Unlike in other recent games, there’s no option to select pronouns separately from body type, and there’s no nonbinary option, either.

Atmos Fierce got the idea for a campaign to request more pronouns after MomoMisfortune started a similar one asking for customizable and nonbinary pronouns. Sims 4 The developers added more pronouns to the game as a result. Fierce said to Polygon in an email that, although he doesn’t identify as nonbinary himself, he hopes to create a space where other queer players can feel safe.

“I hope that Eric Barone will see this movement, and realize just how important this change is for the game. While new content like more dialogue and festivals is all fun and great, before we can have any of that we first NEED to address this issue in the game,” Fierce said.

You can also find out more about us on our website. Stardew ValleyBarone continues to update the game with significant improvements. Barone said at the end September It was announced that the 1.6 upgrade would include new features, such as in-game festivals or over 100 lines of dialog. Fierce, a fan of Barone’s game, has asked that the 1.6 update include additional pronoun options.

There are some people who find it queerStardew Valley players, having more pronoun options isn’t just a matter of text; it will change how they experience the game. Mika, a Fierce viewers who is nonbinary Stardew ValleyPolygon interviewed a supporter of the proposal who explained to the magazine why they feel the current gender options affect their experience.

“Stardew using the wrong pronouns for me feels very alienating and distant. I tend to make characters that resemble me in many things, so when NPCs use she/her pronouns while referring to my character it makes me feel extremely dysphoric and drains all of the joy of playing the game, but he/him pronouns don’t feel right either, like they are talking about a completely different person. I still tend to lean in towards the second option, but I feel like everyone should be able to make a choice that represents them and makes them feel at home, not the ‘less wrong’ option,” Mika said.

Polygon has reached out to Barone and we will update this article once we receive a response.

Since the beginning of time, queer people have been a favorite. Stardew ValleyIts inclusion of marriage and gay romance in its base game. Although the original game doesn’t contain any alternate options for pronouns and gender expression, modders have stepped in to create add-ons to the game that give players the option to select pronouns separately from their body type and expand representation in other areas, like the overall diversity of the game. As Barone slowly slows on Stardew Valley The next player must finish the game. Haunted ChocolatierFans hope to try one final time to bring about the official change.

Fierce told Polygon, “To the wider Stardew Valley and queer gaming community what I want to say is that you are not alone. Please read all the comments and you will see how many others are suffering. […] Your identity is valid, and your pronouns are so wonderful.”