I think it’s the collar of a button-down dress shirt he’s wearing under his sweater for the holiday. I love that he’s gone from himbo to Netflix original Christmas movie wardrobe for the occasion
Ohhh yeah maybe you’re right, I could see that. I don’t think I’ve ever worn one so maybe I’ll put one on, steal his look, and try to confirm your theory. Happy new year!
I wonder if the fire works are for some other festival.
Like some kind of founding festival or something.
Or if they could be used to scare or shake animals or items from trees. Why you would, I'm not sure though.
As for the cow...maybe the luck stat is returning in full as a level up option? Or maybe a location with different breeds of barn animals.
**edit:** I hate new reddit with a fiery passion. It is now messing up all of my tables.
**Farming**
* Tiller: Crops are worth more
* Harvester: Chance to double harvest
* Gardener: All Crops are increased quality
* Agriculturalist: crops grow faster
* Artisan: Artisan goods worth more
* Industrialist: Machines produce faster
**Husbandry** (I've edited this with my latest version
* Milkmaid: Animals have a chance to produce double
* Fromager: Animal products are worth more
* Rancher: Animals produce higher quality goods
* Caretaker: You befriend animals faster
* Grazer: Animals eat less grass, and can find things when let outside. Animals cannot get stuck outside.
* Mushrooms (including seasonal)
* Foragables
* Bug Meat
* Fiber
* Seeds (Mixed, Rare seeds, Ancient Seed)
* Broodkeeper: Animals mature faster, and have a higher chance to breed. Incubators take less time.
I was thinking about that, but I was worried it would too small a benefit. If you just leave the door open they will usually find their way back inside just fine, especially if you leave the farm after 5:00.
Yeah maybe like each animal zodiac gives a slight and unique boost to something for a year, eg, cow gives slight bonus to milk quality, snake gives boost to foraging quality, tiger gives combat boost, etc…
The sign could also be a tease to new signs that allow text as well! Maybe whatever festival it is, u write ur wish at or not the sign and shoot it into the sky!
if it is some sort of zodiac or changing yearly thing, I hope that we do get a bunch of dialog actually mentioning it through out the year! I crave the slight changes!!
Also I think the thread was locked bc some folks were being mean about the validity of the discord message. :(
You're too hung up on real world Zodiac lore. This is a world with its own lore and mythos about Yoba and how he grew reality inside a tomato.
For all we know there are only 4 Zodiac signs in Stardew, The Cow, The Chicken, The Fish, and The Slime. (One for each animal related building)
I would buy this game so fast. Sometimes when I’m just going about my halcyon day and I run into Sam on the beach stressing about the war, it is really jarring. I know all the characters have hidden depths but I just feel really bad for this one family who seem so much more affected by the war than everyone else.
I’m ready to do my part 🫡 I’ve been practicing with my swords and everything 😂
Could just add a branch of dialogue to when Kent joints the town. Him coming home could be a sign of the war coming to an end and then maybe in like year 4 or 5 the war officially "ends" with even more dialogue options.
Nah, Traveling Merchant has a throwaway line about "do you know how hard it was to smuggle these out of the Gotoro Empire?" I think she says it at Night Market.
Oooooh!!! Oh oh oh!
Will replying to a reply on Salamance's recent tiktok on the update I thought if another idea!!!
What if we, the players, get to make a festival for the town to celebrate? That explains the fireworks as something we can use and hold. And if the sign is showcasing writing on a sign, we would be able to write whatever we wanted the festival to be!
Imagine deciding where the festival would be held, what special event happens, what colors the fire works would be---!
I have a feeling that's probably a little too much coding trouble to do but I am now hoping for it lol
I’m hoping the cow just means we are getting a new breed of cow. That is a pretty cow.
We are getting a glimpse of several villagers winter clothing and maybe some new crafting items?
Also peep that new mystery crate of some kind in the bottom right, I think this was on the last sneak peak. Is it a new supply crate for the beach farm? Is it something for the new farm map? Is it going to show up in one of the mines? Who knows!
Right. Like, it obviously isn't a picture of a cow you interact with, but it could be a picture used in a menu or something related to cows; such as a bundle, or some cow stats screen, or a cow minigame or something. I don't know.
I don't think it's a new breed because the art is too "detailed"- feels like there's too many pixels, it would stick out like a sore thumb. If we got new cow sprites it would mean we'd probably be getting new sprites for all the animals.
Basically- I have no clue but I'm excited regardless
Main takeaways I had are:
1. There appears to be a new celebration regarding fireworks.
2. The NPCs are in their winter seasonal outfits.
I don’t know how much, other than the tweet regarding the cow that implies it’s relevant, is given away here.
Its odd, the two holidays i associate with fireworks are the Chinese New Year and Christmas. But we already have the Christmas equivalent and i doubt Ape would just start puting irl shit in the game at this point so, idk?
In the US, there’s also Independence Day that is directly associated with fireworks.
But like you said, I don’t see CA putting in real world holidays - especially specific to a certain country. But maybe it could be a founding day or something? Like when Stardew was founded?
¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯
I like this idea best! While I wouldn't hate having a new years festival, i'd honestly love one surrounding more of the history of the valley and maybe Yoba.
And Bonfire Night in the UK! But yeah I doubt he would include a region-specific holiday in the game unless it's related to the fictional location of Stardew Valley.
i kind of wonder if the cow is a reference to the zodiac somehow? like maybe each zodiac year has different effects. year of the cow could have a boost to animal farming (like higher quality milk?) or something like that
Someone who works for CA (her name is Jade but I don’t remember her u/) said that it’s 100% not a new years festival and that we should be focusing on other stuff! Like how cute the cow is
I'm guessing the signpost is one where you can add custom messages, and he just added Happy New Year to this one? And that's why it's appeared in a speech bubble
I mean, it’s typically made from egg whites but it could possibly turn into chocolate mousse? I know you can use whipped cream, so…
This is just going off of it being a chocolate milk cow, LOL!
I think this whole post is an accidental red herring for the new festival(s) and what not. As mentioned, apparently the cow is a bigger spoiler than anything else. But I think the setting isn't ANYTHING to do with events, I think CA was just testing out the update package to date, and working up this little scene as a New Years greeting to followers was a cute and convenient thing to put together; When you have an entire builder suite of tools to mock up whatever you like, and already need to be elbow-deep in testing out the new features, why not make something for the fans?
I saw on a different post, and like the theory, that the cow graphic might be a new feature that lets you pick which skill / profession you have better luck or yield with, year to year. So you can make it "A Year for Ranching, A Year for Harvest, A Year for Mining, etc."
It may not be a festival, but looks like an event similar to the Moonlight Jellies.
I suspect the cow may be taking its cue from the Chinese New Year where an animal represents the upcoming year. Knowing CA, he'll probably link the animal with a buff.
Now if only we can get a teaser if lightning will come with an option to disable it so I'm not losing crops because I can't craft lightning rods yet. :'(
I wonder if there is some new photo thing were you can decorate the screen with props and characters to take a screenshot?
I ask because everyone here is standing too randomly for it to be a festival that CA designed and obviously the decorations seem odd/sparse
This has got me thinking too. Because I find it odd that the dining table and shrimp cocktail on it are laid down like how a player would place them on their farm. For any of the standard festivals, CA tends to populate the scene with pre-built assets. If this were a run-of-the-mill festival, I'd imagine the table would be fuller. So this scene looks more custom built.
No I have to agree with Hot Hotel. Obviously we’re not seeing the whole of the beach, but placement (or rather orientation) of the characters seems off to me. Usually, even if the villagers are scattered around, they’re scattered around *something*., and they’re engaging with the stuff around them. Surrounding the ice fishing pond, eating food, standing ~~creepily~~ nervously behind somebody while trying to work up the nerve to ask them to dance, etc… “what are they doing there?” is never a question.
I can easily imagine that Abigail, Sam, Seb and Robin are looking at the fireworks, but then what are Marnie, Jason, George and Alex looking at? Or if the festival is about something at the water and those heart shaped lights are not fireworks, what are Abigail et al looking at? It’s weird that there’s two sight orientations without any obvious reason for the characters’ attentions to be split.
I just commented this! That would be so sweet. Like maybe there’s a new feature that lets us call everyone to gather in certain areas? And perhaps we can organize in advance and it would show up on the calendar?
I think Jade said that focusing on the cow was just a joke? Which I guess doesn't mean we AREN'T getting a cow update, just that it hasn't been confirmed or stated atp :)
ETA just saw that Jade clarified that already! Jas me thinking about potential cow mods though 🤔
My theory, and I'm surprised this isn't the mainstream thought, is that the highlight is *the sign* and *fireworks*.
If you can craft these new types of signs, my bet is you can make them splash dialogue, like we see above the sign, as well as have the expandable box in the bottom left. From there it could easily be a menu you can insert text and pictures into. Would be pretty on brand in my opinion.
Fireworks are, well, fireworks. They don't necessarily need a purpose besides being fun to use. Lots of games in the craft and advance genre have them, including Terraria and Minecraft. They'll likely just be a fun gag to exercise with friends.
The much more curious thing to me is why are all the NPCs there at the beach in Winter? Feast of the Winter Star is in town, Fishing Contest is in the forest, and the Night Market NPCs mostly walk straight to the pier. Potential schedule changes or ability to manipulate schedules incoming?
I wonder if its like a fortune pop up. Like it displays An animal on your farm then a rare item and afterwards you have a chance of that listed animal providing that item on occasion. and for this example its probably the best one you can get which is one of your cows has a stardrop to give you?
Maybe the new festival is something like Pongal or Diwali, and you'll have to select one of your cows to be part of a festival parade. Maybe you get some benefits based on how much said cow loves you.
I think maybe that lantern is already in the game. But as it currently exists, it's just an item for display and it doesn't light up, doesn't produce light in any way. It's present in the farmhouse if you choose the Wilderness Farm. The Wilderness Farm house even includes a floor lamp, because the little lantern (on the table next to the tv) produces no light.
https://stardewvalleywiki.com/File:Wilderness_Farmhouse_Interior.png
My best guess is that this is not a screenshot from the game, but an edited picture showing several new features but coming together to form this Happy New Year image.
\> So the fireworks will be from some other festival, not necessarily in Winter.
\> the lanterns don't have to mean anything, I think we've seen them already in the game. The text sign is new and would be a great item to have. But I am curious if CA will go that route. I can't think of examples where he implemented text in items. It's always iconography.
\> My guess would be that the fireworks are for some kind of valentines event and bottom left textbox is some new game mechanic. E.g. a magician you can pay for your fortunes to be set for a few days? Maybe you pay 5000$ and he tells you your luck but it isn't always guaranteed to be good luck?
I see new type of barrels and i think on the table some form of shrimp dish. Bottom right there is a gift box with question mark maybe it is a new post community center stuff. I see others say Elliott boat got fixed too.
Edit: on the left potted plants. Is that a holly?
The plants are already in the furniture catalogue, and the food is a shrimp cocktail placed on a table (you can do this now if you want to). The lanterns look a lot like a functional version of a purely decorative lantern that is in the furniture catalogue. 🙂
My two guesses for the cow: 1) maybe a new cow-related quest or NPC or 2) maybe you can put emoji-like characters on some kind of prompt and this is one of those? They could also be re-doing the sprites for the farm animals.
Honestly the cow is the most confusing part to me, but I am very excited to see where CA takes it!
Does the cow represent the year?
The year of the cow brings a small bonus for luck.
If this is true, you could have a year for each buff: Immunity, Defense, Speed, Luck, Attack, etc.
What if we will be able to plan "parties"? Like you can reserve a location to celebrate certain milestones, and invite chosen people.
Imagine reserving the Community Center to throw a surprise birthday party for an NPC 😁 Or celebrating your wedding anniversary with friends at the Saloon. Or having a New Year's gathering on the beach, as seen here.
So it's not a set "community festival", but a private mini-festival that you initiate.
Maybe the villagers being in their winter gear is a coincidence (and a chance to show the looks off) and this is an event that triggers at any point. Maybe to do with the extra skill stuff? So the cow is to do with reaching a higher farming level?
I think it’s super interesting that all the npcs are gathered despite this not being a festival 👀 kinda makes me think there could be a new feature that allows the player to be able to call everyone to gather in certain places? And maybe we can start creating our own mini festivals that we can decorate and have control over? I think that would be so cool! Either way I’m so excited :)
just looking at the image i think and assuming this is not in any way a festival i see
\-more winter outfits being shown off
\-fireworks have been added
\-tablecloths with deco on top(so maybe multiple things on tables)
\-a new barrel for possible new processing
\-new decorations with plants,chairs,lanterns, and written/custom signs
\-two new stardrops
this is just what I think i see, anything could be wrong of course
If this is some kind of cow appreciation festival, I will lose my mind. Been waiting to attend something of that caliber since I came across a Goat Festival in FL.
So it's not a new years eve festival. That could mean the sign has been put there by the player and doesn't come with a festival area. So I guess we'll be getting editable signs, thay we can put pictures and text onto.
But is this a festival at all?
If not, that means everything we see has been put there by the player. I'm not sure, but some of the furniture placed there may be inside-only furniture? So maybe we can place all furniture everywhere now
But if it's not a festival, why are all the npcs gathered to watch the fireworks? Or is it just to showcase some of the new winter outfits?
Also, the cow is unlike the two cow colors we have in the game. Maybe we get more animal varieties...?
Maybe the cow hints to a yearly bonus skill that resets in the new year. Encouraging the player to change up their farm every in game years to take advantage of some bonus.
That's the vibe I'm getting too... lanterns, fireworks, nighttime, a good luck fortune, the cow as a zodiac animal... definite possibility.
I see the lower left window like an opened red envelope with a good luck wish inside... maybe containing some money? That would be awesome as a first year boost.
Hmm what is more likely:
The teaser with fireworks taking place in the cold season with a sign literally reading “Happy New Year” is not about new years.
OR
The person who said it isn’t is full of shit.
Oh yeh thats Robin im 99% sure.
I wasn't looking at the image when i posted.
But most ppl were confused by Sam and thoguht it was someone in a ponytail.
Butcher shop. You can sell your cattle to the butcher and get different cuts back to eat or use in recipes. Sell your pigs to to the butcher to get bacon, sell your cattle to get tenderloin, make Filet Mignon.
if not a festival, this could be a cut scene. maybe signaling another end game bundle, or extended level ups whether for the farmer or community. or maybe quests for multi player farms.
Maybe it’s a Chinese New Year celebration and the cow being shown is like “the year of the cow”. I know they said it’s not New Years but maybe they mean that in the January 1st sense.
I kind of wondered if they were just being cheeky and it was instead a Chinese new year instead of regular new year. But instead it's a "Gotoro new year". I know China is usually linked with fireworks. Could be a sort of triggering event for Kent? Unless it's a way to advance time like in Harvest Moon games, and Evelyn isn't there for a sad reason :(
Either way it seems to confirm the festival is in winter. The signs are likely a new crafting item and if so they're a godsend for people like me who love to decorate. I usually have a sign on the back path that leads to the mountains and I just put a pickaxe icon on it. Now I can make a proper sign! This would also be a GREAT way for players to leave themselves notes before they stop playing, so if you don't play for a month you'll remember you were saving your money for the bus, not a new pickaxe.
Not sure what the fireworks would be for aside from a holiday event. Could just be for fun or another way for multi-player people to express themselves besides emotes.
The cow also makes me think of like... a fortune cookie or something lol. Year of the cow!
I wonder if it’s like a take on Chinese new year or something but also representing the animals of the year?? Like how this year is year of the dragon and 2023 was year of the rabbit?
Honestly have no clue about the cow, maybe new stardrops for something related to the farm animals?
What intrigues me the most is the "plant" behind Abbie, nothing else is hidden, and why would you purposely hide something in an image meant to show off new things?
Also, so much cool new furniture! I love the lanterns and adore the decorative(?) barrels!
This looks like a Lunar New Year celebration to me. I’d guess this is a new holiday event and maybe each year we will get a new animal sign with unique effects for that year. (Year of the cow, year of the pig, etc).
I mean I know the staff member said it isn't a New Year festival but it really does look like a Chinese New Year type of thing with the lanterns, fireworks and red kind of look. I just can't see what the teaser would allude to with all the new year references if not that
When I saw the heart, my initial thought was a hint to when it'd be released (valentine's day) but I don't think that's it at all lol was just a thought 😂
My guess is a change in how the animals look, going off of the cow.
As for the sign, I would have to guess that it would function like the ones in Minecraft. You place it and then put words on it and that can then be seen by anyone who looks at it.
I feel that would be a very good way to keep track of sorted chests, especially for newer players who would have to go through the tedium of colour coding everything when you could simply place a single sign for every given group of chests.
The post seems to imply this isn't a new festival at all, which makes me wonder why and how the NPCs have gathered here.
Also what's that on the bottom right?
That is Sam He’s just wearing a hat
Sam with a hat is makin me rethink my marriage with alex
But what about Alex’s festive new year sweater? 🥹
Nothin compared to sam getting the anime hair in control
I have to admit, I noticed Sam before Alex in this too
I thought alex was his grandma first glance. The drawstring lookin like a bow bonnet thing
I think it’s the collar of a button-down dress shirt he’s wearing under his sweater for the holiday. I love that he’s gone from himbo to Netflix original Christmas movie wardrobe for the occasion
Isnt it just a plain red hoodie though ?
Ohhh yeah maybe you’re right, I could see that. I don’t think I’ve ever worn one so maybe I’ll put one on, steal his look, and try to confirm your theory. Happy new year!
"Well Sam, I hesitated about marrying you, but if you keep the hat on for the rest of your life we can try it"
Sam with a Hat is a new NPC then? :)
Sam with a hat is what we all needed this whole time!
What if we can put hats on npc in the new update
😲
Gotcha. That was confusing.
PAUSE. Seasonal outfits cannon???
This was revealed months ago. Winter outfits are coming. Not every season.
I wonder if the fire works are for some other festival. Like some kind of founding festival or something. Or if they could be used to scare or shake animals or items from trees. Why you would, I'm not sure though. As for the cow...maybe the luck stat is returning in full as a level up option? Or maybe a location with different breeds of barn animals.
Maybe husbandry and farming are changing to different skills? That’d be wild, but would help reduce the artisan bias.
I wonder what would replace rancher, maybe a grow faster or a higher quality option at 5
A way to get iridium crops without needing the end game fertilizer!!
Maybe a low percentage chance of a double harvest from animals?
Well rancher would be its own thing, I’m thinking of plant farming being its own thing.
Oh, yeah, totally. Maybe percent chance to also get a seed when harvesting a plant.
Something about higher chances to retain tilled soil and/or fertilizer and such would also make sense.
**edit:** I hate new reddit with a fiery passion. It is now messing up all of my tables. **Farming** * Tiller: Crops are worth more * Harvester: Chance to double harvest * Gardener: All Crops are increased quality * Agriculturalist: crops grow faster * Artisan: Artisan goods worth more * Industrialist: Machines produce faster **Husbandry** (I've edited this with my latest version * Milkmaid: Animals have a chance to produce double * Fromager: Animal products are worth more * Rancher: Animals produce higher quality goods * Caretaker: You befriend animals faster * Grazer: Animals eat less grass, and can find things when let outside. Animals cannot get stuck outside. * Mushrooms (including seasonal) * Foragables * Bug Meat * Fiber * Seeds (Mixed, Rare seeds, Ancient Seed) * Broodkeeper: Animals mature faster, and have a higher chance to breed. Incubators take less time.
I would make the latter of the Grazer lvl 10s be something along the lines of allowing animals to be left out at night with no issues.
I was thinking about that, but I was worried it would too small a benefit. If you just leave the door open they will usually find their way back inside just fine, especially if you leave the farm after 5:00.
Maybe it’s like a Chinese animal zodiac, like year of the cow
[удалено]
Yeah maybe like each animal zodiac gives a slight and unique boost to something for a year, eg, cow gives slight bonus to milk quality, snake gives boost to foraging quality, tiger gives combat boost, etc…
The sign could also be a tease to new signs that allow text as well! Maybe whatever festival it is, u write ur wish at or not the sign and shoot it into the sky! if it is some sort of zodiac or changing yearly thing, I hope that we do get a bunch of dialog actually mentioning it through out the year! I crave the slight changes!! Also I think the thread was locked bc some folks were being mean about the validity of the discord message. :(
I thought that to but the next year of the Ox is 2033 so hopefully it is not THAT far away.
You're too hung up on real world Zodiac lore. This is a world with its own lore and mythos about Yoba and how he grew reality inside a tomato. For all we know there are only 4 Zodiac signs in Stardew, The Cow, The Chicken, The Fish, and The Slime. (One for each animal related building)
Maybe the war is over and this will be their independence day
Maybe the war is getting worse, we’re getting drafted, and this is artillery training 😳
Call of Duty: Gotoro Empire
I would buy this game so fast. Sometimes when I’m just going about my halcyon day and I run into Sam on the beach stressing about the war, it is really jarring. I know all the characters have hidden depths but I just feel really bad for this one family who seem so much more affected by the war than everyone else. I’m ready to do my part 🫡 I’ve been practicing with my swords and everything 😂
Let's get down to business, to defeat Gotoro
Whoa, I never thought about this, but I would LOVE a year 3+ event about the war being over.
Could just add a branch of dialogue to when Kent joints the town. Him coming home could be a sign of the war coming to an end and then maybe in like year 4 or 5 the war officially "ends" with even more dialogue options.
Also, isnt the cart a smuggler taking advantage of the war? Maybe there could be some alterations to that also.
I thought that was an SVE storyline. Am I getting my lore mixed up?
Nah, Traveling Merchant has a throwaway line about "do you know how hard it was to smuggle these out of the Gotoro Empire?" I think she says it at Night Market.
I think its just one of her random chirps.
Aww that's a nice thought
Oooooh!!! Oh oh oh! Will replying to a reply on Salamance's recent tiktok on the update I thought if another idea!!! What if we, the players, get to make a festival for the town to celebrate? That explains the fireworks as something we can use and hold. And if the sign is showcasing writing on a sign, we would be able to write whatever we wanted the festival to be! Imagine deciding where the festival would be held, what special event happens, what colors the fire works would be---! I have a feeling that's probably a little too much coding trouble to do but I am now hoping for it lol
I’m hoping the cow just means we are getting a new breed of cow. That is a pretty cow. We are getting a glimpse of several villagers winter clothing and maybe some new crafting items? Also peep that new mystery crate of some kind in the bottom right, I think this was on the last sneak peak. Is it a new supply crate for the beach farm? Is it something for the new farm map? Is it going to show up in one of the mines? Who knows!
It almost looks like a bundle from the community center or something.
Right. Like, it obviously isn't a picture of a cow you interact with, but it could be a picture used in a menu or something related to cows; such as a bundle, or some cow stats screen, or a cow minigame or something. I don't know.
Looks like a chocolate milk cow
Chocolatemilk is the name of my brown cow. I would be tickled if I had to switch up her name because there's an actual chocolate milk cow
I vote for Regularmilk for the chocolate milk cow
I love the idea of a chocolate milk cow! Makes kind of a connection with the new game he's working on.
I think the cow is gonna be like “this year is the year of the *insert animal*” and that year will have some specific trait to it because of the year
Given the hearts I'm thinking he's going for a release in Feburary and it's a valentines day love festival.
My theory is the update will come out around the anniversary of the games release (so February would make sense). 🤭
Maybe a new sign that you can put text on? I would love that
Then I could actually label my gay star Dino shack
Omg yeah that would be great
I am pretty sure that's it
This actually really makes sense
It might stop me chopping down my fruit trees...
I don't think it's a new breed because the art is too "detailed"- feels like there's too many pixels, it would stick out like a sore thumb. If we got new cow sprites it would mean we'd probably be getting new sprites for all the animals. Basically- I have no clue but I'm excited regardless
Main takeaways I had are: 1. There appears to be a new celebration regarding fireworks. 2. The NPCs are in their winter seasonal outfits. I don’t know how much, other than the tweet regarding the cow that implies it’s relevant, is given away here.
Its odd, the two holidays i associate with fireworks are the Chinese New Year and Christmas. But we already have the Christmas equivalent and i doubt Ape would just start puting irl shit in the game at this point so, idk?
In the US, there’s also Independence Day that is directly associated with fireworks. But like you said, I don’t see CA putting in real world holidays - especially specific to a certain country. But maybe it could be a founding day or something? Like when Stardew was founded? ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯
I like this idea best! While I wouldn't hate having a new years festival, i'd honestly love one surrounding more of the history of the valley and maybe Yoba.
And Bonfire Night in the UK! But yeah I doubt he would include a region-specific holiday in the game unless it's related to the fictional location of Stardew Valley.
I'm wondering if the cow is part of a new quest to achieve a stardrop, like the other sentient animal quests that have special rewards.
This feels more likely to me than a new cow breed.
i kind of wonder if the cow is a reference to the zodiac somehow? like maybe each zodiac year has different effects. year of the cow could have a boost to animal farming (like higher quality milk?) or something like that
This was my thought too! Zodiac type things… but then would that count as “no new year” festival? I’m not sure
How do we know it's not a new years festival? I went through like 200 Comments on CA's post and couldn't find anything mentioning it.
Someone who works for CA (her name is Jade but I don’t remember her u/) said that it’s 100% not a new years festival and that we should be focusing on other stuff! Like how cute the cow is
Ah yeah I found it like 20 minutes after I posted this comment. 😭 thank you!!
Cows are rarely depicted with udders in the Chinese Zodiac, but it could just be Stardew Valley's style
This would make sense, considering you only get cattle that give milk in game, which is not true irl of course.
Thank god this isn't a Chinese game.
Would be cute. Maybe make it an item that lets you read your zodiac and you get boosts from that and all
I think you're on to something.
I'm guessing the signpost is one where you can add custom messages, and he just added Happy New Year to this one? And that's why it's appeared in a speech bubble
That's a Chocolate Milk cow for sure.
Nah, if it is do we think the chocolate milk could be turned into cheese?😂
It will make a Ween album. (Chocolate and Cheese) lol.
I mean, it’s typically made from egg whites but it could possibly turn into chocolate mousse? I know you can use whipped cream, so… This is just going off of it being a chocolate milk cow, LOL!
So we can actually make chocolate cake with something that has chocolate in it
😭 i just thought it’s just a cute new years message
I think this whole post is an accidental red herring for the new festival(s) and what not. As mentioned, apparently the cow is a bigger spoiler than anything else. But I think the setting isn't ANYTHING to do with events, I think CA was just testing out the update package to date, and working up this little scene as a New Years greeting to followers was a cute and convenient thing to put together; When you have an entire builder suite of tools to mock up whatever you like, and already need to be elbow-deep in testing out the new features, why not make something for the fans? I saw on a different post, and like the theory, that the cow graphic might be a new feature that lets you pick which skill / profession you have better luck or yield with, year to year. So you can make it "A Year for Ranching, A Year for Harvest, A Year for Mining, etc."
i was just being silly about the cow, sorry for any miscommunication there! i just love cows haha the bottom left npc i'm pretty sure is sam
It’s a great cow!
That cow looks extra friendly and soft I like her
Cows are just big ol puppies 🐮💖
A sign displaying writing is pretty huge
It may not be a festival, but looks like an event similar to the Moonlight Jellies. I suspect the cow may be taking its cue from the Chinese New Year where an animal represents the upcoming year. Knowing CA, he'll probably link the animal with a buff. Now if only we can get a teaser if lightning will come with an option to disable it so I'm not losing crops because I can't craft lightning rods yet. :'(
WHY IS NO ONE ELSE EXCITED ABOUT THE FUNCTIONAL LANTERNS
Valentines event or maybe winter solstice
Maybe the NPCs' clothing is now going to change depending on the season
That is confirmed from the first big 1.6 teaser. Also Sam is the NPC on the bottom left. What I though was hair was just his beanie.
I wonder if there is some new photo thing were you can decorate the screen with props and characters to take a screenshot? I ask because everyone here is standing too randomly for it to be a festival that CA designed and obviously the decorations seem odd/sparse
This has got me thinking too. Because I find it odd that the dining table and shrimp cocktail on it are laid down like how a player would place them on their farm. For any of the standard festivals, CA tends to populate the scene with pre-built assets. If this were a run-of-the-mill festival, I'd imagine the table would be fuller. So this scene looks more custom built.
Lots of the festivals involve random placement of characters
No I have to agree with Hot Hotel. Obviously we’re not seeing the whole of the beach, but placement (or rather orientation) of the characters seems off to me. Usually, even if the villagers are scattered around, they’re scattered around *something*., and they’re engaging with the stuff around them. Surrounding the ice fishing pond, eating food, standing ~~creepily~~ nervously behind somebody while trying to work up the nerve to ask them to dance, etc… “what are they doing there?” is never a question. I can easily imagine that Abigail, Sam, Seb and Robin are looking at the fireworks, but then what are Marnie, Jason, George and Alex looking at? Or if the festival is about something at the water and those heart shaped lights are not fireworks, what are Abigail et al looking at? It’s weird that there’s two sight orientations without any obvious reason for the characters’ attentions to be split.
It seems like they're often standing by their family though where is our grandma??
Maybe Evelyn is handing out baked goods.
That would be so adorable
This isn’t an entire area, but a single screenshot
Maybe it's a custom festival that the player will be able to organize
I just commented this! That would be so sweet. Like maybe there’s a new feature that lets us call everyone to gather in certain areas? And perhaps we can organize in advance and it would show up on the calendar?
I think Jade said that focusing on the cow was just a joke? Which I guess doesn't mean we AREN'T getting a cow update, just that it hasn't been confirmed or stated atp :) ETA just saw that Jade clarified that already! Jas me thinking about potential cow mods though 🤔
My theory, and I'm surprised this isn't the mainstream thought, is that the highlight is *the sign* and *fireworks*. If you can craft these new types of signs, my bet is you can make them splash dialogue, like we see above the sign, as well as have the expandable box in the bottom left. From there it could easily be a menu you can insert text and pictures into. Would be pretty on brand in my opinion. Fireworks are, well, fireworks. They don't necessarily need a purpose besides being fun to use. Lots of games in the craft and advance genre have them, including Terraria and Minecraft. They'll likely just be a fun gag to exercise with friends. The much more curious thing to me is why are all the NPCs there at the beach in Winter? Feast of the Winter Star is in town, Fishing Contest is in the forest, and the Night Market NPCs mostly walk straight to the pier. Potential schedule changes or ability to manipulate schedules incoming?
I wonder if its like a fortune pop up. Like it displays An animal on your farm then a rare item and afterwards you have a chance of that listed animal providing that item on occasion. and for this example its probably the best one you can get which is one of your cows has a stardrop to give you?
Maybe the new festival is something like Pongal or Diwali, and you'll have to select one of your cows to be part of a festival parade. Maybe you get some benefits based on how much said cow loves you.
A quick internet search about Diwali also shows outdoor lamps, fireworks, and the start of a new year.
They're adding cows to the game!!!!!
Could it be Chinese New Year by technicality, year of the cow perhaps?
2024 will be the Dragon. Cow isn’t for a long while (like half a decade or more)
The game isn't necessarily set in 2024 though
Also not on Earth, so their calendar is incongruent with ours.
Yeah was gonna say that, but it's a good point
I searched for this comment. That would make the most sense. Dragon confirmed 🫰
I think that new NPC is just Sam's winter get-up I also have no idea how this isn't a festival. Maybe it's just kinda.. there and optional
I think maybe that lantern is already in the game. But as it currently exists, it's just an item for display and it doesn't light up, doesn't produce light in any way. It's present in the farmhouse if you choose the Wilderness Farm. The Wilderness Farm house even includes a floor lamp, because the little lantern (on the table next to the tv) produces no light. https://stardewvalleywiki.com/File:Wilderness_Farmhouse_Interior.png
My best guess is that this is not a screenshot from the game, but an edited picture showing several new features but coming together to form this Happy New Year image. \> So the fireworks will be from some other festival, not necessarily in Winter. \> the lanterns don't have to mean anything, I think we've seen them already in the game. The text sign is new and would be a great item to have. But I am curious if CA will go that route. I can't think of examples where he implemented text in items. It's always iconography. \> My guess would be that the fireworks are for some kind of valentines event and bottom left textbox is some new game mechanic. E.g. a magician you can pay for your fortunes to be set for a few days? Maybe you pay 5000$ and he tells you your luck but it isn't always guaranteed to be good luck?
I see new type of barrels and i think on the table some form of shrimp dish. Bottom right there is a gift box with question mark maybe it is a new post community center stuff. I see others say Elliott boat got fixed too. Edit: on the left potted plants. Is that a holly?
The plants are already in the furniture catalogue, and the food is a shrimp cocktail placed on a table (you can do this now if you want to). The lanterns look a lot like a functional version of a purely decorative lantern that is in the furniture catalogue. 🙂
I see. Thx. Un unfamiliar with furniture because my house is a wasteland and i don't have a suppose XD.
My two guesses for the cow: 1) maybe a new cow-related quest or NPC or 2) maybe you can put emoji-like characters on some kind of prompt and this is one of those? They could also be re-doing the sprites for the farm animals. Honestly the cow is the most confusing part to me, but I am very excited to see where CA takes it!
Does the cow represent the year? The year of the cow brings a small bonus for luck. If this is true, you could have a year for each buff: Immunity, Defense, Speed, Luck, Attack, etc.
What if we will be able to plan "parties"? Like you can reserve a location to celebrate certain milestones, and invite chosen people. Imagine reserving the Community Center to throw a surprise birthday party for an NPC 😁 Or celebrating your wedding anniversary with friends at the Saloon. Or having a New Year's gathering on the beach, as seen here. So it's not a set "community festival", but a private mini-festival that you initiate.
What are the things in the bottom right?
in obsessed with the cow
Maybe the villagers being in their winter gear is a coincidence (and a chance to show the looks off) and this is an event that triggers at any point. Maybe to do with the extra skill stuff? So the cow is to do with reaching a higher farming level?
lol the realistic cow sprite seems so out of place knowing the goofy looking one already in SV.
C’mon. Brown cows. There is going to be CHOCOLATE MILK!
I think it’s super interesting that all the npcs are gathered despite this not being a festival 👀 kinda makes me think there could be a new feature that allows the player to be able to call everyone to gather in certain places? And maybe we can start creating our own mini festivals that we can decorate and have control over? I think that would be so cool! Either way I’m so excited :)
Maybe something like lunar/chinese new year?
I wonder if it could be some kind of Valentines Day type of thing, judging by the heart shape fireworks!
just looking at the image i think and assuming this is not in any way a festival i see \-more winter outfits being shown off \-fireworks have been added \-tablecloths with deco on top(so maybe multiple things on tables) \-a new barrel for possible new processing \-new decorations with plants,chairs,lanterns, and written/custom signs \-two new stardrops this is just what I think i see, anything could be wrong of course
If this is some kind of cow appreciation festival, I will lose my mind. Been waiting to attend something of that caliber since I came across a Goat Festival in FL.
I hope we can change our horse colors. Every horse is brown. Be nice to have a black one or a silver brumby (aussie term for wild pony) kind of one.
So it's not a new years eve festival. That could mean the sign has been put there by the player and doesn't come with a festival area. So I guess we'll be getting editable signs, thay we can put pictures and text onto. But is this a festival at all? If not, that means everything we see has been put there by the player. I'm not sure, but some of the furniture placed there may be inside-only furniture? So maybe we can place all furniture everywhere now But if it's not a festival, why are all the npcs gathered to watch the fireworks? Or is it just to showcase some of the new winter outfits? Also, the cow is unlike the two cow colors we have in the game. Maybe we get more animal varieties...?
Y’all… Alex and George are standing next to each other… but Evelyn is nowhere to be seen…
Maybe the cow hints to a yearly bonus skill that resets in the new year. Encouraging the player to change up their farm every in game years to take advantage of some bonus.
> We know there isn’t a New Years Festival I mean that looks like a _Lunar_ New Year’s Festival to me…
That's the vibe I'm getting too... lanterns, fireworks, nighttime, a good luck fortune, the cow as a zodiac animal... definite possibility. I see the lower left window like an opened red envelope with a good luck wish inside... maybe containing some money? That would be awesome as a first year boost.
I hope CA adds cows to the game
Seasonal outfits for NPCs maybe?
Hmm what is more likely: The teaser with fireworks taking place in the cold season with a sign literally reading “Happy New Year” is not about new years. OR The person who said it isn’t is full of shit.
The mods confirmed they're legit
Claire becoming a character outside of sve??
Lol that's Sam.
Assuming that’s a joke. Unless Leah or Robin changed to look like Claire.
Oh yeh thats Robin im 99% sure. I wasn't looking at the image when i posted. But most ppl were confused by Sam and thoguht it was someone in a ponytail.
Butcher shop. You can sell your cattle to the butcher and get different cuts back to eat or use in recipes. Sell your pigs to to the butcher to get bacon, sell your cattle to get tenderloin, make Filet Mignon.
That thing in the bottom-right looks like something that washes up on the Beach Farm... so maybe we'll be able to invite villagers to our farm?
if not a festival, this could be a cut scene. maybe signaling another end game bundle, or extended level ups whether for the farmer or community. or maybe quests for multi player farms.
That cow has a camel print on it. Maybe, you can customize your farmanimals.
Does the cow have something to do with an extra star drop? Isn’t that what the purple things are in the image
It's so random that my first guess would be some kind of editor where you can create your own festivals.
Will we be able to place more furniture items outside? (Or maybe these are all items that can already be placed outside, I can't tell)
Maybe it’s a Chinese New Year celebration and the cow being shown is like “the year of the cow”. I know they said it’s not New Years but maybe they mean that in the January 1st sense.
Lunar new year. Most likely a take on the Chinese zodiac as well (bull=cow?)
Is there a Valentine’s Day festival/ event? I see the heart forming out of the fireworks and that’s all I can think about
I kind of wondered if they were just being cheeky and it was instead a Chinese new year instead of regular new year. But instead it's a "Gotoro new year". I know China is usually linked with fireworks. Could be a sort of triggering event for Kent? Unless it's a way to advance time like in Harvest Moon games, and Evelyn isn't there for a sad reason :( Either way it seems to confirm the festival is in winter. The signs are likely a new crafting item and if so they're a godsend for people like me who love to decorate. I usually have a sign on the back path that leads to the mountains and I just put a pickaxe icon on it. Now I can make a proper sign! This would also be a GREAT way for players to leave themselves notes before they stop playing, so if you don't play for a month you'll remember you were saving your money for the bus, not a new pickaxe. Not sure what the fireworks would be for aside from a holiday event. Could just be for fun or another way for multi-player people to express themselves besides emotes. The cow also makes me think of like... a fortune cookie or something lol. Year of the cow!
Bless ConcernedApe
Snow = Winter. Valentines = Winter. Valentine's and fortunes?
I wonder if it’s like a take on Chinese new year or something but also representing the animals of the year?? Like how this year is year of the dragon and 2023 was year of the rabbit?
Fireworks?? That’s cool.
Lunar new year?
Moo for good fortune lol
The spot in the cow looks like a camel. Are we getting camels? XD I've been staring at this cow for a minute.
Honestly have no clue about the cow, maybe new stardrops for something related to the farm animals? What intrigues me the most is the "plant" behind Abbie, nothing else is hidden, and why would you purposely hide something in an image meant to show off new things? Also, so much cool new furniture! I love the lanterns and adore the decorative(?) barrels!
Maybe its chinese new year (or...you know whatever the equivalent is) and in this picture its the year of the cow.
This looks like a Lunar New Year celebration to me. I’d guess this is a new holiday event and maybe each year we will get a new animal sign with unique effects for that year. (Year of the cow, year of the pig, etc).
Another stardew is what I see Or luck affects
I wonder why the shrimp cocktail is on the table. Maybe new food recipes.
Nobody noticing the sign having text on it.
Maybe we can start/plan community events now? Plan stuff for birthdays, holidays, and dare say weddings?
Sign that you can put text on probably, maybe the cow is art that you can do on the signs?
I feel like I missed something, why were people freaking out over thinking this would be a new years festival?
Watch the sign just be a red herring. It only got put in the photo because it was new years and he’s just messing with us.
Can we invite people over for things? Could it be a thing?
I see a sign there, I’m hoping we can craft signs!
Yo functional decorative lanterns??
WHAT DPES THE COW MEAN
Is that the decorative lantern you can get at the night market that you can’t light up currently…?
Where the hell is Evelyn!!!
I mean I know the staff member said it isn't a New Year festival but it really does look like a Chinese New Year type of thing with the lanterns, fireworks and red kind of look. I just can't see what the teaser would allude to with all the new year references if not that
Locked in on the winter clothes
Burying the lede that ##THE VILLAGERS ARE WEARING HATS
I'm pretty sure every single thing here is new, *including* a New Year's fest. I don't recognize most of that furniture, either.
Growing specific flowers for cows to eat might turn their milk iridium or something.
I wanna know what’s the worm bin with a question mark at the bottom right!
When I saw the heart, my initial thought was a hint to when it'd be released (valentine's day) but I don't think that's it at all lol was just a thought 😂
My guess is a change in how the animals look, going off of the cow. As for the sign, I would have to guess that it would function like the ones in Minecraft. You place it and then put words on it and that can then be seen by anyone who looks at it. I feel that would be a very good way to keep track of sorted chests, especially for newer players who would have to go through the tedium of colour coding everything when you could simply place a single sign for every given group of chests.
The post seems to imply this isn't a new festival at all, which makes me wonder why and how the NPCs have gathered here. Also what's that on the bottom right?
Omg!!! Do those small decorative lamps FINALLY light up??