Stardew Valley’s 1.6.9 update has introduced a long-awaited feature for mobile gamers: multiplayer mode. This hidden mode is now available on Android and iOS, so fans of the popular farming simulation can team up on mobile as they can on desktop and console. Unlike on those platforms, though, mobile multiplayer isn’t immediately apparent. This step-by-step guide explains how to unlock and access this feature.
How to access Stardew Valley multiplayer on Android and iOS
To access the multiplayer option on Stardew Valley for Android and iOS, you’ll need to activate a hidden mode by following these steps:
- Enter the code: Open the game on your mobile device and, at the title screen, press the leaves surrounding the “Stardew Valley” logo in this specific order: up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right (↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← →).
- Tap the “?” button: When you enter the code, press the “?” at the bottom right of the screen. This will enable the “Co-op” button, just as you’d see on other platforms, and unlock multiplayer mode.
Connecting to other farms via IP address
After unlocking multiplayer mode, Stardew Valley relies on an IP connection, as you’ll have to fill in the IP address of the game you want to be connected to. This function mostly works best on a local network, like home Wi-Fi. Here’s how to set it up:
- Joining a farm: To connect with friends, you’ll need the IP address of the device hosting the farm. Plug in this address, and you’ll be able to view their farm from anywhere at any time.
- Optimal setup: If you have a high-end mobile device, you will get much better performance by connecting to a PC-hosted farm on your local network. You can also take part in farms on other mobile devices, but again, mobile multiplayer on Stardew doesn’t offer a farm discovery feature, and you can only join specific games via IP.
Stardew Valley has finally introduced a long-requested multiplayer mode for mobile players with the latest update, version 1.6.9, which will enable Android and iOS users to join friends’ farms via IP connection on local networks. To access this mode, however, sometimes you need a special code, making it a hidden feature only for the most dedicated fans to find. Beyond multiplayer, the update includes major quality-of-life and visual improvements: thanks to night lighting, indoor and outdoor lights transition more smoothly. Data packets are compressed to give performance boosts and help stability for multiplayer. Gameplay balancing has also been adjusted with items, item pricing, crafting requirements, and NPC gift preferences.
This update rebalances combat to have a wider area of effect for some attacks, items such as unique fruit saplings and cosmetic collectibles introduced during random activities. On the farming side, closing doors at night means animals are happy, too; grass will live through the winter, too, but it won’t spread. New weapons get random enchantments as other additions, changes to shop stock quantities, and XP changes in skills, making gameplay more immersive in all the different ways.
In short, the 1.6.9 patch greatly enhances mobile Stardew Valley gameplay, especially multiplayer, and refines the mobile and console playing environments. With these steps, you can go to the farm with friends on Stardew Valley right from your Android or iOS device. Get your crops now, come up with friends, and play in multiplayer farming!
Image credit: Stardew Valley
