Shipping is still US-only, but some international shops will have local copies if you ask around
[Update: It’s time to (attempt to) buy Stardew Valley: The Board Game with a restock at the official shop. Orders open soon and here’s hoping you get yours to go through.]
It’s been a tough year for folks who want to buy cool limited-edition ~anything~, and that order-fast-and-pray mentality extends to Stardew Valley: The Board Game. With a $55 price tag, this sold-out tabletop adaptation of the beloved indie farming game has now been fetching over $200 — and in some cases, over $300 — on eBay. So, when’s the restock?
Thankfully, we knew early on that ConcernedApe was planning at least one more run, and the next window of availability is soon: it’s set for noon Pacific on November 3. If you manage to get an order placed, you “should” get the board game before Christmas, but there’s no guarantee given “the state of shipping.” (Holiday shopping will be wild this year.)
This print has differences, which ConcernedApe outlined on his blog.
“The rules and cards have many small adjustments to clarify questions that came up, but pretty much all the rules stayed the same,” he said.
One rule revision worth noting: “the museum grants a Heart as a reward for donating to it, a minor change that is represented in the rules and on the board.”
Additionally, some players felt that the Mines were “too difficult” (on-brand!), and as a fix, ConcernedApe and designer Cole Medeiros “figured that a number of the Mine Map cards could result in frustrating results frequently, so these were adjusted. The difficulty is not much affected, but the chance of getting nothing for your efforts is greatly reduced.”
The restocked Stardew Valley: The Board Game will have an extra tray “to make storage easier and to decrease the time it takes to set up and put away the game.”
ConcernedApe also shared an update on shipping outside of the US. (Worth noting: this board game is “assembled in Michigan and transported to Florida for fulfillment.”)
While they won’t be doing international sales with the online shop, there is a chance for players in “Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and EU” to find Stardew Valley: The Board Game at their local stores. Big caveat: “It’s not possible for us to keep track of which stores specifically, so the best way is to contact your local store and ask if they are carrying copies.” Basically, this is going to require some digging and community spirit.
Genuinely, best of luck out there. We’re all tired of jumping through hoops.
