It’s hard to imagine Eric Barone saying that he failed in any aspect regarding Stardew Valley. What started out as a simple Harvest Moon clone, a way to teach him how to code and perfect pixel art, evolved into a phenomenon that is still having a lasting impact on the cosy farming sim genre. But nothing in life can be perfect, and everyone has regrets.
Talking to PC Gamer at GDC, Barone discussed a couple of areas in which he would improve, if given the chance to revisit 2012, when his work on Stardew Valley first began, namely how on the nose the game’s villain, JojaMart, is.
“That’s one of the things I kind of regret about Stardew Valley,” Barone says. “I feel like it’s a little bit too on the nose with Joja being the bad guys, and the community centre being the right way to do it. If I made Stardew Valley again, I would try to be a little more nuanced.
“Maybe there are some positives to JoJa, you know. Nothing is that black and white. In reality, there’s usually nuance to everything. It’s something that I wanted to have with Stardew Valley, but I kind of failed in that particular aspect.”
It is blindingly obvious in Stardew Valley that JojaMart, a chain supermarket, is the villain. Not only is this the company that the protagonist leaves to start a new life on their grandpa’s farm, trading in dull and grey for the exciting and colourful world of farming, but when a new store opens up in Pelican Town, it starts to wreak havoc.
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At the eastern edge of the town, in the woods near where JojaMart is set up, there’s loads of trash and litter scattered around, most of it being Joja Cola and other supermarket junk. Additionally, there is the fact that Pierre, the local shopkeeper, is being gradually put out of business by the chain store.
Pierre doesn’t lose the store or anything if you just stick with JojaMart, but that ending will turn the community centre into a warehouse, and you’ll lose out on a couple of the perks that the Community Centre ending will give you. Siding with JojaMart also feels like you lose the spirit of the game, as it supports large corporations over small businesses, local produce, and community-focused initiatives. But siding with Joja isn’t all bad, if you can forgive yourself, that is.
The Joja ending will give you a soda machine instead of a trophy, an auto-petter, and a movie theatre. Another unintended perk also seems to be sticking it to Pierre by choosing Joja over his general store.
I kind of advocate for Pierre a little bit. I think he is not as bad as some people think.
Eric Barone
Pierre may seem like just a normal shopkeeper, but a lot of players have a problem with his priorities and character in general. Those who dislike him believe that he should spend more time with his family, take up a hobby, and find a job that offers a better work-life balance. But Barone seems to think the Pierre hate is a bit too harsh.
“I assumed people wouldn’t like Pierre, but I didn’t realise the extent to which they would hate Pierre,” Barone says. “I kind of advocate for Pierre a little bit. I think he is not as bad as some people think. I mean, he does after all—I don’t want to spoil it—but he plays a crucial role in the Community Centre path at the end of the game.”
I also don’t really get all the Pierre hate. I understand he’s not a great person, but running your own business is stressful, especially when a big chain is poised to take it all away from you.
I’ve only ever gone with the JojaMart ending once, just to get the achievement. And while I won’t be doing that again, regardless of how unhealthy Pierre’s work-life balance is, I will say that Joja Cola has saved me a couple of times when I’ve gone too far down in the mines, so I’ll give them that.
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