Stardew Valley players were split over a fan’s plea for the auto-petter to be sold by either Marnie or Krobus.
Stardew Valley is a cozy farming simulation game developed by Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone. It was initially released for Windows in February 2016, and the community has loved it ever since.
The game offers a beautiful pixelated world in which you play a character who inherited a farm from their grandfather. Players can plant and grow various crops for different seasons, go fishing, and care for animals in coops and barns.
When players get their farm animals, such as chickens and cows, they must be fed hay or let outside to eat fresh grass. In addition, players need to make them feel loved by visiting and interacting with them daily.
Initially, having a few animals would be manageable, and you’d have no problem visiting and interacting with them. Things become more difficult when you’re mid- to late-game and have multiple animals, such as having barns full of pigs for a truffle farm.
This was the reason why a Stardew Valley player pleaded for an auto-petter to be sold by Marnie or Krobus in the upcoming 1.6 update this March 19, 2024. They shared that they were only tempted to do the Joja route because of the item. They were fine if it cost a lot and stayed as an end-game item, but they thought it would be nice to be able to buy it without rewarding Joja.
As the name suggests, the auto-petter is a tool that automatically pets the players’ coop and barn animals. It can be bought for 50,000g after completing the Joja Development Form, the alternative for the Community Center route. Players could also get this in the treasure rooms of Skull Cavern, but that requires a bit of luck.
While the original poster hoped they could buy this item from Marnie or Krobus in the 1.6 update, another user replied that the update is coming soon and likely in the late stages. It is unlikely that additional things, such as adding sources for the auto-petter, would come in the 1.6 update.
Another Stardew Valley player shared that all the items that automatically care for their animals already feel more like Joja. They believed that a farmer with magical ties to the land and helping nature spirits would be more inclined to care for their animals personally instead of relying on machines.
As helpful as the auto-petter can be, let’s not forget to visit our animals ourselves and shower them with love. Or, if you really want one, get ready to explore the Skull Cavern on lucky days. Look out for more Stardew Valley news while we wait for the 1.6 update for PC this March 19!