Stardew Valley’s next major update is shaping up to be a meaningful expansion of the game’s social systems. Creator Eric Barone has confirmed that the upcoming 1.7 update will introduce two brand new marriage candidates and make long requested changes to how in-game children behave.
The details were shared during a new interview with IGN, published as part of Stardew Valley’s 10th anniversary coverage.
Two New Marriage Candidates Coming In Stardew Valley 1.7
During the interview, Eric Barone confirmed that two additional romance options will be added in version 1.7. While he declined to reveal their identities for now, he did say the announcement will be made on the game’s anniversary.
“I’m going to be adding two more marriage candidates, but I’ll reveal who it is on the anniversary day,” Barone said.
This marks the first time Stardew Valley has added new marriage candidates since Shane and Emily were made romanceable in the 1.1 update. Since then, the roster of bachelors and bachelorettes has remained unchanged, despite years of community requests for expansion.
Speculation is already building around who the new candidates could be. Some players believe they may be entirely new characters, while others hope that long standing favourites like Sandy or the Wizard will finally become romanceable. Barone did not confirm either direction.
Children Set For Long Requested Changes
Alongside the romance expansion, Barone also addressed another frequent point of feedback from players: children.
Currently, children in Stardew Valley have very limited behaviour, remaining permanently young and largely inactive around the farmhouse. Barone acknowledged this directly, confirming that a “popular fan request” related to children is being addressed in 1.7.
“What I will say without maybe being too specific is that with this update, one of the things we’re trying to do is… there is a popular fan request, which has to do with the children, trying to make the children a little more interesting,” he said.
He stopped short of explaining exactly how the system will change, but confirmed that work is actively underway. This suggests children may gain more interactions, routines, or personality elements, something the community has asked for over many years.
More Unannounced Features Also Planned
Barone also hinted that the update includes additional features beyond what players have been asking for.
“There’s a lot of other things in the update as well that no one’s really asked for, but I think people will appreciate it,” he said.
In a separate part of the interview, Barone floated the idea of a potential farm map editor that could allow players to create and share custom farm layouts. While he stressed that this feature is not guaranteed to ship in 1.7, he described it as something he is actively interested in exploring.
Traditionally, each major Stardew Valley update has introduced a new farm type, and Barone suggested that opening farm creation to the community could dramatically increase replayability.
Anniversary Reveal Expected On 26 February
Stardew Valley’s anniversary falls on 26 February, meaning players may not have to wait long to learn who the new marriage candidates are. However, Barone has not attached any release window to the 1.7 update itself.
For now, the update remains without a launch date, continuing the developer’s long standing approach of revealing details gradually rather than committing to timelines.
Haunted Chocolatier Still In Development
During the anniversary discussions, Barone also touched briefly on Haunted Chocolatier, his next game project, which has faced ongoing speculation about its status. He has already addressed those concerns directly in a separate statement, confirming the game is still progressing and has not been abandoned.
You can read more about that clarification in our full report, Stardew Valley Creator Shuts Down Haunted Chocolatier Abandonment Rumours, Says Game Is Still Progressing.
As Stardew Valley enters its second decade, the scale of the 1.7 update suggests Barone is still deeply invested in evolving the game’s world, characters, and long term replay value.