Eric Barone, the creator of Stardew Valley, expresses confusion over the intense criticism towards the character Pierre and wishes he had added more complexity when designing JojaMart.
A Yarn About Stardew Valley: The Alternate JojaMart Vision
Stardew Valley's creator, Eric Barone, never seemed to miss a beat when it comes to Stardew Valley's resonating success. Originally just a Harvest Moon clone, this charming farming sim evolved into a staple, still leaving ripples in the cozy farming sim genre. However, even the mastermind behind Stardew Valley has a few regrets.
In a chat with PC Gamer at GDC, Barone discussed areas he'd improve, had he the chance to go back to 2012, the year his Stardew Valley journey began. One of those topics was the apparent negativity of JojaMart, the sinister chain supermarket that serves as the game's antagonist. Barone revealed that if given a do-over, he'd like to portray JojaMart with more nuance, not just as a villainous corporation.
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It's pretty evident in Stardew Valley that JojaMart is the baddie. Not only is this the company that drives the protagonist from the mundane to the vibrant world of farming, but when a new store opens up in Pelican Town, chaos ensues.
Visit the edge of the town, where JojaMart hides amongst the woods, and you'll find it littered with trash and junk. And there's Pierre, the local shopkeeper, struggling to keep his business afloat.
Pierre doesn't lose everything if you stick with JojaMart, but choose that route, and you'll end up with a warehouse community center and miss out on a few perks. Siding with JojaMart can feel like you're against everything Stardew Valley stands for: supporting big corporations over small businesses, local produce, and community-focused initiatives. But it's not all bad if you can look past some ethical dilemmas.
The Joja ending offers a soda machine instead of a trophy, an auto-petter, and a movie theater. Another perk? Sticking it to Pierre by going with Joja over his store.
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The Joja ending might seem a bit cruel to some, but it's far from the end of the story. And it's not just the community center that changes. Things don't look too good for your relationships, either. What if siding with JojaMart led to more complex town relationships? What if we saw the impact of corporate domination on characters beyond just the obvious negative effects? Barone's thoughts on revisiting Stardew Valley seem poised toward crafting a more intricate, morally ambiguous tale.
And let's not forget about Pierre. Love him or hate him, there's no denying he adds flavor to the game. Barone believes the hatred for Pierre might be a tad excessive, and he's not alone. Many players see Pierre as a person struggling with work-life balance and find it unfair to point fingers.
Still, there's something intriguing about Barone's musings on revisiting his masterpiece. What if we saw a more tense relationship between JojaMart and the town? What if Pierre evolved into a more complex character, embodying the challenges of running a small business in a corporate world?
Who knows? Maybe someday we'll get the chance to return to Pelican Town and witness the nuanced evolution that Barone envisions. In the meantime, we can still delight in the colors, the characters, and the unique charm that Stardew Valley offers.
- Stardew Valley's creator, Eric Barone, wishes he could have given JojaMart, the game's antagonistic supermarket chain, more nuance, making it less of a villainous corporation.
- In a hypothetical sequel or mod, we might see a more complex JojaMart, perhaps causing chaos beyond the negative effects on the town and relationships.
- Siding with JojaMart in Stardew Valley might lead to complex town relationships, reflecting the struggles of running a small business in a corporate world.
- Pierre, the local shopkeeper, could also evolve into a more complex character in a potential revisit of Stardew Valley, embodying work-life balance issues often faced by small business owners.
- Though some players might find the JojaMart ending cruel, it presents opportunities for storytelling and character development that might be explored in future iterations of the game.
- A mixtape of entertaining indie games could include titles that offer complex stories, moral ambiguity, and intriguing character dynamics, akin to the potential evolution of Stardew Valley's narrative.
