There's plenty to do in the vanilla valley, but the sky is the limit once you learn how to install Stardew Valley mods. With so much community support, it's an easy game for first-time modders to dive into, but modding can still be an intimidating task.

The modding scene for ConcernedApe's farming sim is easily one of my favorites, and with a good primer on the basics maybe it can be one of yours, too. To help you get there, I'll walk you through how to install Stardew Valley mods with a breakdown of SMAPI (a required framework for loading mods), popular download resources, and getting started with a mod manager.

How to install Stardew Valley mods

This guide is organized into three parts. We'll start by downloading basic Stardew Valley mod tools, then go on to installing SMAPI and the Stardrop mod manager. Players familiar with the first steps can use the navigation on the left to skip ahead, or keep on scrollin' to start from square one.

Download basics like SMAPI and Stardrop first

You'll need a few basic tools to install Stardew Valley mods and get them running smoothly. I strongly recommend downloading Stardrop and Content Patcher, but the Stardew Modding API (SMAPI) is the only absolute must.

To follow along with the guide, download SMAPI, Stardrop, and Content Patcher. Extract all three to a central folder for easy access.

Where to find Stardew Valley mods

You can download individual mods from popular hubs listed below, but get the basics above up and running before amassing any unwieldy collections.

• Nexus Mods
• Curseforge

Where to find the Stardew Valley mod folder

Your Stardew Valley mod folder should be inside of your game directory. You'll want to have the exact folder directory handy to make sure SMAPI and Stardrop sort mods into the correct directory.

After launching Stardew Valley at least once and installing SMAPI, you can install mods by placing them directly into the folder. All mods must be inside of their own folder inside of the mods folder, so your path looks like this: /Stardew Valley/Mods/Mod Name

You don't need a mod manager, but I recommend using Stardrop instead of unzipping and organizing them in the folder yourself. Stardrop keeps downloads tidy and easy to troubleshoot.

How to install SMAPI (Stardew modding API)

SMAPI is the mod loading framework making all this possible—your most important piece of the process. After downloading the loader and launching Stardew Valley vanilla at least once, extract SMAPI's contents into any directory and double click the correct bat file to install.

This process should leave you with a new mod folder and the StardewModdingAPI.exe inside the game's main directory.

Here's a full step-by-step on how to install SMAPI for Windows or Linux users:

Download and extract SMAPI

1. If modding a fresh install, launch Stardew Valley unmodded at least once
2. Download and extract SMAPI; the location doesn't matter
3. Run the Install on Windows.bat file (or Linux)
4. Follow the console instructions to install SMAPI in the game directory
5. Next steps depend on your storefront, either Steam or GOG

Steam users

1. Right click Stardew Valley from the Steam library
2. Under General, look for the Launch Options text box and enter:

GOG users

1. Right click Stardew Valley from the GOG library
2. Select Manage Installation, then Configure
3. On the Features tab, enable Custom Executables/Arguments
4. Click Add Another Executable
5. Select StardewModdingAPI.exe from the game directory
6. Check the Default Executable option under the modding API

How to install Stardrop mod manager

Extract the Stardrop folder anywhere on your desktop—I use my Documents folder for safekeeping—and double click Stardrop.exe to launch the mod manager for the first time. This is the tool that will install, remove, enable, or disable mods for you. It makes the process a million times easier.

Opening Stardrop for the first time

When loading Stardrop for the first time, the exe asks if you would like to "associate the NXM protocol with Stardrop" to automatically install downloads from Nexus Mods. I always do this, but it's optional.

• Yes - Automatically download and install a mod after clicking a Nexus link
• No - Manually add files into Stardrop yourself

Configuring Stardrop directories

Navigate to View > Settings and check all three file paths for SMAPI, the Stardew Valley Mod folder, and a new Stardrop Installed Mods folder. The new addition is where Stardrop will dump your mods.

Installing mods through Stardrop

If you don't use the Nexus Mods protocol, you can drag and drop zipped mods directly into Stardrop's interface or click File > Add Mods and select the compressed file. Stardrop will unpack it and handle the rest.

With your mods loaded in Stardrop, click the box beside your new additions to enable them. If you want to disable a mod, uncheck the same box. Click Save Configs when you make any changes and restart the game.

How to install Content Patcher and Alternative Textures

You can automatically install Content Patcher through Stardrop, or visit Nexus Mods for a separate download. Content Patcher doesn't do anything as a standalone mod, but tons of modders use it to load custom assets without altering the base game files.

Alternative Textures is similar to Content Patcher and they're compatible with each other, but typically works through in-game items like the Paint Bucket or Scissors while providing multiple options for customization. That's not an option with Content Patcher.

Should I use Content Patcher, Alternative Textures, or both?

You can use Content Patcher and Alternative Texture mods together, but I would prioritize installing Content Patcher over everything else since so many modders use it.

When downloading mods, look for abbreviations like (CP) for Content Patcher or (AT) for Alternative Textures and select the correct version(s) depending on how you want to use the retexture.

CP mods are typically good for static elements you don't plan on changing a lot, but keep in mind you can only have one CP mod at a time for the same asset. AT mods can overwrite CP changes or each other using items and other in-game menus on the fly, so you can have multiple AT files.

I feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day because the year was 2022 when I first watched EA tease the "next generation Sims game" with the codename Project Rene. Two years later it said "actually that's not the Sims 5 though" and spent another year being weird and silent before finally admitting today that yeah, Project Rene is now a mobile game. Simultaneously though, it made sure to mention that a huge portion of the team is working on "the next evolution." Here we go again.

In its start of year blog post today, EA says it is "committed to singleplayer life simulation experiences," and reiterated that it is continuing to work on updates and improvements to The Sims 4. After that, it coyly adds:

"Singleplayer PC and console experiences will always be a part of our future, with more than half of our global development team dedicated to The Sims 4 and the next evolution. More news in the coming months!"

The Sims 4 and "the next evolution," apparently two different things.

The recent rumors point to anything from a Sims 4 code base rewrite to a full remake, though the grist for that mill was mostly unsubstantial vague-posting from unconfirmed sources. After all the hubbub about it, well-known Sims 4 modder SimMattically stepped in to put a damper on things by posting, "there’s no Sims 4 remaster."

So it's likely not working on a remaster and likely not working on The Sims 5, but is working on a "next evolution," and crucially one that's singleplayer, not another attempt at taking The Sims online.

The only other hint we have is EA's investor presentation from 2024, during which it announced (and has still never really explained) a platform called The Sims Hub to unify The Sims 4 with Project Rene and other Sims games. During the same presentation, EA entertainment & technology president Laura Miele said that the team would be "updating the core technology foundation" of The Sims 4. The direction for Project Rene seems to have shifted in that time though, so I'd hesitate to put too much stock in any other plans EA announced over a year ago.

This tiny acknowledgement of something else in the Sims team pipeline feels like a bone thrown to keep all us life sim dogs from snarling over the confirmation that Project Rene really is just the mobile game we don't want. At this point though, this tired old Sims hound will take it.

I'm going to hold your hand when I say this: Project Rene is a mobile game. When EA first teased the next Sims game, we understandably thought the pretty new lighting engine shots it showed off meant we were looking at The Sims 5. After a couple agonizing years of leaks, silence, rumors, and speculation, EA has finally just admitted what we'd all figured out: Project Rene is a "social multiplayer" mobile game.

EA shared a news update about the future of The Sims series today, setting expectations for the new year. After spending a bit more time trying to calm fans down about the EA buyout we're understandably very wary of, it goes on to be, if not what I'd call transparent, then at least more clear than ever before about the relationship between The Sims 4 and Project Rene.

"Thanks to ongoing player feedback, Project Rene has evolved to focus on social multiplayer play, offering a more direct way for friends to share creativity together. It is not the successor to The Sims 4 and is a separate experience from any future deep, singleplayer life simulation experience. It introduces a new way to explore and play together within the growing Sims family of games, welcoming Simmers who want to connect directly with other players."

In case there was any remaining doubt that we're talking about the same online mobile game that we've been seeing leaked footage from for over a year, the image below, included in the post, is titled "SimsLabs_Rene2.png". This is the same little outdoor plaza where we've seen custom characters walking around completing small goals like decorating together or working shifts at a cafe.

Every time leaked images from these playtests make the rounds, fans are pretty bummed. Most of us don't really want a small mobile Sims game. Adding insult to injury, EA has ignored every leak so far and refused to give players any clarity on what we're seeing. So at least in that department, today is a relief.

What I find most interesting is that EA says "Project Rene has evolved" into this current state. It's almost an acknowledgement that we weren't out of line to believe that at one point this was The Sims 5 and got internally rebooted during development.

While Project Rene may not be what most of us wanted from a new Sims game, EA does also remind us that it's still "building a family of new Sims experiences across PC, console, and mobile," and that it's "committed to singleplayer life simulation experiences." The same blog post reveals that over half of the full Sims team is working on "The Sims 4 and the next evolution," though any transparency about what that means is coming months down the line, it says.

"In 2026 you can expect to hear more from us as we continue playtesting new ideas and experiences," it also says. Don't hold your breath though. It would be pretty in character if this is the only clear communication we get about The Sims series future for the rest of this year.

As much as I love Disney Dreamlight Valley, getting around by foot can be tedious. You don't really think about it when you've only got the valley to explore, as each of the biomes feel so close you don't need to make a massive journey to get where you need to go. However, the sheer size of the game now it has received three expansions, alongside all the unlockable biomes in the Dream Castle, means there's a lot more ground to cover. And frankly, running around on foot doesn't cut it. Of course, you can glide, but I don't keep on top of my stamina enough to constantly do that.

Fortunately, the newest expansion, Wishblossom Ranch, has unleashed what I can only describe as the best method of transport for a game like this: horses. That's right, if you're someone who grew up wanting to be a princess and asking for a pony every Christmas, then Disney Dreamlight Valley has finally answered your wishes.

Within the Wishblossom Ranch DLC you'll be able to befriend numerous horses too, rather than just being lumped with one. You'll have wild horses to customise and befriend, but most notably, three iconic Disney horses have been added: Maximus from Tangled, Khan from Mulan, and Pegasus from Hercules. All of which play an integral role in the expansion's story, rather than just being bolt-on companions.

In fact, adding mounts has drastically changed the Dreamlight Valley experience for the better, making your life as a valleygoer a lot more efficient. Not only does it make travel faster—your horse trots quicker than any villager walks and you can gallop to cover a huge distance in a fraction of the time it would take you normally—you can also appoint each horse with a set of skills too. Much like villagers, you need to level them up first, but with how much time you're bound to spend with your horses after the excitement of them being added in the first place, you'll probably level up in no time.

These skills aren't the full set you're used to though. They include things like mining, digging holes, and watering crops. It all sounds very basic, but the great thing about getting your horse to do these things for you is that your stamina will never deplete. Sure, the animation of a horse breaking a rock is probably a few frames longer than if you did it with your pickaxe, but it's generally going to be a lot shorter than having to consume several meals back to back, or visit your house to restore your stamina bar. Honestly, the lack of back and forth when I want to mine or farm has made the entire experience more enjoyable than I ever thought it would.

Another massive feature which makes your life easier is the fact you can talk to other villagers without dismounting. It sounds simple, but when you're running around completing the game's hundreds of fetch quests and have to speak to what feels like every single character, it helps to get this job done a lot faster.

What makes horses so special is that they aren't limited to just being in the ranch. You can take them anywhere across the valley, including both other expansions, A Rift in Time and The Storybook Vale, and any of the regions you've unlocked via the castle. You don't just make the most of them while you're making your way around Wishblossom Ranch, they are companions you can take with you wherever you go now.

I hope this means we'll see more horses in the future of Disney Dreamlight Valley rather than the standard animal companions we're used to seeing in the Star Path. If there's one thing Disney doesn't have in short supply, it's horses. I'd also be surprised if they didn't eventually trot into the base game too, which would be great for anyone who's not quite ready to commit to the DLC but wants a new four-legged companion.