Stardew Valley Creator ConcernedApe Doesn't Ask for Money for Collabs, Insists He Only Does It With Games He's a Fan Of, or Because He 'Genuinely Thought Players Would Like It'

Stardew Valley developer Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has disclosed that he accepts no payment when his beloved farming sim partners with other franchises, explaining he only undertakes these collaborations because "[he] was a fan of the other games, or because [he] genuinely thought players would enjoy them."

The statement emerges as fans gear up for the crossover between Stardew Valley and Infinity Nikki, launching on September 1. Though the full scope of the event remains unclear, reactions from the community have been unexpectedly mixed, with some players criticizing the timing, viewing it as a suspicious distraction from recent leaks.

"There have been a few collaborations between Stardew Valley and other games over the years," Barone posted on X/Twitter yesterday. "To be clear, I never receive any money from these collabs. I've only done them because I was a fan of the other games, or because I genuinely thought the players would like it."

Interestingly, Infinity Nikki replied directly to Barone via its official X/Twitter account.

"We really appreciate you sharing your feelings on this. Any unintended stress was the last thing we wanted. It was our way of saying thanks — a free love letter to Stardew Valley from our team and for the community," the message said.

"Working on it felt like we were all tending a little farm together. The care and detail you pour into your world is exactly why we want to make cozy games too. We're still learning from you every day."

To be fair, the backlash surrounding the Stardew Valley collaboration seems largely tied to poor timing. The Infinity Nikki community has been dissatisfied since update 1.5 introduced contentious changes, including altering Infinity Nikki’s narrative and increasing the time and cost needed to complete full outfits.

It’s worth noting that Barone doesn’t frequently pursue these partnerships. Stardew Valley has only teamed up with a handful of other titles, such as Balatro and Terraria.

Back in May, Barone acknowledged he "didn't want to just be the Stardew Valley guy," revealing he’s currently focused on Haunted Chocolatier. A release date is unlikely anytime soon — he recently admitted there’s still "a lot to be done," especially since he feels it must "be better" than Stardew Valley.