Stardew Valley‘s enormous 1.6.9 update launched on all platforms earlier this week, including console and mobile. While developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone gave players the lowdown on the contents of the update via its patch notes, it seems he left out one little detail: The new update allows mobile players to access the game’s multiplayer mode… by entering the Konami Code.
Barone did make a blog post acknowledging the new mobile feature once the update was live, and also explained why it wasn’t hidden in the patch notes, and why the Konami Code is currently the only way to access it.
Stardew Valley – Multiplayer Trailer
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“With the release of Stardew Valley 1.6 on mobile, there is now a hidden multiplayer feature which you can access,” Barone wrote. “It is hidden for a couple of reasons: 1. It’s an experimental feature, so it might still have some bugs or issues. 2. The nature of the mobile platform could make a multiplayer session frustrating under certain scenarios.”
Barone said that mobile multiplayer works “pretty much the same as on other platforms,” but noted that it did lack the “farm discovery” feature included in other versions of the game. Mobile players can only connect to multiplayer by sharing their IP address (if hosting) or entering the host’s IP address (if joining a session), but Barone says players can also use that method to connect to a PC-hosted farm from a mobile device.
“The ideal ‘mobile multiplayer’ scenario would be to connect to a PC-hosted farm from a high-end mobile device on a local network (using Wi-Fi, unless you have some way to connect your mobile device to ethernet),” Barone explained. “This would be the best-case scenario. If you try to connect or host using a cell phone network, you will likely encounter problems.”
As for the worst-case scenario?
The worst-case scenario would be if someone were to host a game from a low-performance phone, on a cell network (you would probably have to create a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot for others to connect to locally), and they were on a train or something, going through tunnels,” Barone said of the potential pitfalls facing mobile multiplayer enthusiasts. “And then the host is also getting calls, causing the app to be interrupted repeatedly. This would result in a potentially frustrating multiplayer experience.”
Still, Barone isn’t trying to discourage mobile players from giving the mode a try.
“If you want to try these things out, there’s nothing stopping you,” he said of the newly accessible mode. Just be aware that there are inherent connectivity issues that can arise when attempting to host a multiplayer game from a mobile device.
If you’re wondering how exactly one inputs the Konami Code in the mobile version of the game, worry not–Barone’s blog post includes a step-by-step guide. Players will notice the game’s title screen features four clusters of leaves. For all intents and purposes, these are your arrows for the Konami Code. Barone even created a diagram to show which leaves correspond with each arrow.
From the title screen, mobile players waiting to test out multiplayer mode should press the following “arrows” (leaves) in this order: up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right. But instead of following it up with the traditional code’s “B, A, start,” ending, players simply need to press the question mark icon located on the bottom right corner of the screen.
After exiting the “?” menu, a co-op button will appear on the title screen. Press it, and you’ll be faced with the choice of either joining a session or hosting your own. To join a session, enter the host’s IP address. Players who are hosting will have to set up cabins for other players, and once that’s done, they can share their IP address with any friends they wish to host on the farm.
There are some potential issues mobile co-op players can face, but Barone has outlined them (and their workarounds) in his blog post. He’s even included a mini-guide to help Android and iOS users find out what their IP address is. If you’re struggling to connect to Stardew Valley’s mobile multiplayer feature, see Barone’s recent blog post for troubleshooting pointers and other tips.
As for Barone himself, he says he plans to resume work on his next project, Haunted Chocolatier, as soon as Stardew Valley’s 1.6.9 update is stable and “settled” on all platforms.