Stardew Valley Is Now Highest-Rated Indie Game on Steam

Image: Stardew Valley

Almost ten years after it first launched, Stardew Valley has hit a new milestone — it’s now officially the highest-rated indie game in Steam’s history.

The cozy life sim, created by solo developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone, has been a fan favorite for years, but a major resurgence came in 2024 with the long-awaited Update 1.6. Packed with new features, improved mod support, and quality-of-life tweaks, the update brought a fresh wave of players back into the valley — and clearly, they’re loving it.

According to data from SteamDB, Stardew Valley now holds an incredible 97.66% positive user rating, with over 874,000 users giving it a thumbs up.

Even when compared to all games on Steam — not just indie titles — Stardew Valley comes in second overall. Only Valve’s own Portal 2 sits above it, making this farming sim one of the most beloved games across the entire platform.

It’s easy to see why the game continues to thrive. Stardew Valley blends relaxing gameplay with charming characters and a surprising amount of depth. From building your dream farm to forming relationships with townsfolk, there’s something about it that keeps people coming back. It’s in the same wholesome space as Animal Crossing, but with more freedom, and a bit more farming grind — in the best way possible.

Commercially, Stardew Valley has sold over 41 million copies by January 2025. The game’s PC version remains its strongest, with over 26 million copies sold. Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch version has also played a substantial role in its success, contributing approximately 7.9 million copies.