On the 1 year anniversary of Stardew Valley, creator "ConcernedApe" shared with fans a heartfelt letter on how much it means to celebrate this anniversary. The creator of the Harvest Moon spiritual successor talked about the game and how the experience has changed him over the past couple years:

Considering that I had spent the previous 4-5 years in my own little bubble, working alone, doing essentially the same thing every day… and now suddenly to be thrust into the limelight… it was quite the change! I’m happy about it, of course. I mean… it is a weird feeling, at first, to have something that once seemed so distant, so impossible… some pipe-dream that you fantasized about in the dead of night… actually come true. It takes some getting used to, and that’s part of what this last year has been for me.

But I’m very, very grateful to have this opportunity. I’m excited about the future. I have many ideas, and I want to keep making games for a long time to come. I’ve learned so much from Stardew Valley… the importance of beta testing, how to make decent pixel art, how to use Steam, how to maintain a game after launch. And I’ve made plenty of mistakes, too. But I try to view any blunders in a positive light… fertile ground from which to improve and grow stronger.

ConcernedApe also took the time to share some screenshots of what the game looked like when he first started development in 2012! The screenshots of the game (which was initially called Sprout Valley) look a lot less colorful and kind of like they're running on a Gameboy Advance. Take a look at the gallery below and let us know what you think of Stardew Valley!