Harvest Moon may have inspired itbut ConcernedApe's Stardew Valley set a new standard for farm life sims when it launched in 2016. Nearly a decade later, it continues to be recognized as one of the most influential games in the genre, exceeding player expectations, proving that an independently developed game can compete with big-budget releases in depth, post-launch support, and cultural impact. At the same time, it became the plan that almost every modern cozy life sim has its roots in today. In fact, the upcoming farming life sim on Steam in fact, it has deeper roots in ConcernedApe's hit debut than almost any game solely inspired by it, as it's being developed by former Stardew Valley giant
Sunkissed City is a new farming sim from Mr. Podunkian, another independent developer who has a history of working alongside ConcernedApe on post-launch development Stardew Valley. At first glance, the upcoming game looks strikingly similar Stardew Valley in its visuals and gameplay, but that's to be expected given the developer's previous work. Even so, while Steam Sunkissed City may bear resemblance to Stardew in terms of visuals, gameplay and design, urban environments, customization potential and quality of life features could be enough to set it apart from the game that has dominated the farm life sim genre for nearly a decade.
Sunkissed City is being developed by a former Stardew Valley developer
Arthur “Mr. Podunkian” Lee wasn't there in the beginning when Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone was working on Stardew Valleybecause only one person really built it from the ground up. However, when Barone needed a team to help him with post-launch updates to the game while he was working on them Haunted ChocolatierLee contributed his expertise. He is particularly involved in development Stardew Valley updates 1.4 to 1.6, Lee joined the team in 2019 to help Barone smooth out the bumps in the post-launch farm sim journey, but also, perhaps more importantly, create some of its biggest content updates.
Lee is time with Stardew Valley only lasted about three years as he parted ways with Barone in 2022 to focus on him full time Sunkissed City– “a life-sim set in an upbeat, sun-kissed seaside metropolis full of funky vibes and quirky characters,” according to its Steam page. Naturally, expectations can be high for the upcoming urban farming sim, given that it not only looks exactly Stardew Valley but he is also one of its former developers. However, if Lee has anything to say about it, Sunkissed City probably not meant to be replaced or replicated Stardew Valley– like games, but building on lessons learned from years of post-launch development and applying them to a different kind of space. More than anything, this particular farming life sim feels like an evolution to me Stardew Valley more than a copy.
Sunkissed City is Stardew Valley in an urban sandbox Carve out your new life in the city, tend DIY gardens, learn new skills and make lifelong friends and help bring life back to its once vibrant streets!
If his looks and charm weren't enough, Sunkissed City he seems to have everything Stardew Valley fans love it and more. As a farm life simulator, it has traditional genre-specific systems in place – such as DIY gardening with plants and crops, fishing, foraging and exploration, NPC relationship mechanics and romance, household customization, and various city activities. However, Sunkissed City brings urban flair Stardew's formula and add a little more depth and quality of life as well.
Features of Sunkissed City at a glance
- SIM FARM LIFE set in a vibrant seaside metropolis called Apollo City.
- CARE OF URBAN GARDENS and DIY gardening with plants and crops.
- FISHING with a quality-of-life system that displays silhouettes of all currently catchable fish based on location, time and weather when you reel one in.
- SEARCH AND EXPLORATION around cities such as parks and natural areas.
- FAILURES TO SEWAGE NEEDS and other adventurous side activities.
- MEET AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS with quirky townspeople and NPCs.
- DONATION AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT to deepen bonds with the characters.
- ROMANTIC OPTIONS and personal story development.
- DEEP CHARACTER CUSTOMIZATION with clothes, patterns, colors and styles.
- HOME CUSTOMIZATION with furniture, wallpaper, flooring and decorative elements.
- ONLINE AND LOCAL CO-OP multiplayer play with friends.
- DIFFICULTY AND AVAILABILITY OPTIONS customize experiences for different skill levels.
- CITY ACTIVITIES like visiting cafes and parks and interacting with wildlife.
One of the clearest ways Sunkissed City is developing Stardew ValleyThe gameplay of the game is based on how it incorporates the lessons learned from the years of post-launch refinement from the very beginning. Systems that required several updates to improve Stardew they are instead included Sunkissed Citybasis. The most obvious example is fishing, with a built-in visual system that tells you exactly what can be caught under specific conditions, taking the usual guesswork out of the mini-game. The same philosophy carries over into the customization, relationship tracking, and accessibility options, which aim to respect the player's time while maintaining the genre-defining sense of routine and progression.
With endless, deep customization options, you can be who you want to be.
Where Sunkissed City however, it really begins to separate itself in how it rethinks the space in which the loop exists. Instead of centering everything around a single isolated farm, development spreads out into a connected urban environment full of parks, cafes, public spaces and neighborhoods that feel busier than Stardew Valley's Pelican Town. Gardening becomes something that players weave into city life rather than retreat to it, and social systems feel more naturally integrated into everyday gameplay rather than something to be ticked off on a schedule. This, in addition to deeper customization, optional combat activities such as sewer dives, and flexible difficulty and availability options, Sunkissed City he's already been through a lot.
All things considered, Sunkissed City it looks like a game made by someone who's clearly spent years seeing what they've seen Stardew Valley right and where it could have been smoother from the start. The urban environment provides a familiar gameplay loop from farm life Stardew Valley the new paint job, the quality-of-life improvements feel like it could be stronger right off the bat, and the overall structure suggests a developer who knows how long players tend to live in these worlds. Whether it will end up with the same durability is still an open question, but it already looks like a confident step forward rather than a safe retread.
Sunkissed City is currently scheduled to launch on Steam in 2026.
