Stardew Valley

What do you think of Stardew Valley?
What key themes did you observe?
Eric was unemployed and couldn’t get a job, so he decided to make his own game. What is your reason?
People often “go indie” to get away from crunch, and yet Eric worked harder than most anyone at Naughty Dog. Why do you think game dev requires so much more of people than, say, other professions or interests?
Eric decided to live off his girlfriend. Is that fair? Or is that an incredible expression of love?
Where did Eric start marketing?
Eric made a game others wanted. What were the indicators along the way this was true?
What indicators are there, right now, that others really want your game?
After two years he ran out of steam. He started playing Civilization all day while his woman worked. Have you encountered this, and if so, what did you do about it?
What did Eric do about it?
After two years, in his funk, Eric hated the game. Have you reached this milestone? If so, what did you do about it?
What makes Stardew Valley such an endearing game?
Unemployed indie kills himself for 5 years and makes $40m. What do you think the ramifications are of this story?
What lessons can you apply to your project?

Blood, Sweat, and Pixels