Each season in Stardew Valley amount to 28 days by the in-game standards. The game has four seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Each has its specific weather patterns, crop options, and unique events.
It’s essential to plan your farm activities according to the season you’re in to make the most out of it.
Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting out, understanding how the season’s cycle work in Stardew Valley will help you progress better in the game and maximize your profits.
Keep reading to know more about how seasons work in Stardew Valley and what mistakes you should avoid in order to take your farm game to the next level.
How long does a season last in Stardew Valley?
Much like the real world, Stardew Valley is a farming sim game that is composed of four seasons. Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. All bring their unique flavors to the game, with each season lasting 28 days.
The game begins in Spring, transitioning to Summer after the 28-day mark. From there, the seasons shift in order until Winter takes hold.
As you progress through the game, you’ll notice that each season has its own set of crops that can only be grown in that particular time. The game’s visual style also changes between seasons, adding a sense of immersion and realism.
While spring and summer offer a variety of crops and opportunities to earn money, fall is the time when real money is made.
Valuable crops appear during this season, and you must make the most of your time by preparing for the arrival of winter.
During winter, you won’t be able to grow crops and must concentrate on improving your tools and doing other tasks that have nothing to do with farming.
However, you must be mindful of the season and the number of days left. Crops will wither away at the end of the season if not harvested in time.
Additionally, the residents’ schedules will change as the seasons progress, and the condition of the farm will need to be monitored and adjusted accordingly.
Like in real life, seasons are a crucial aspect of your farm life in Stardew Valley that you must understand to succeed.
With their entire crops, changes in visual style, and impact on gameplay, the seasons add depth and complexity to the already engaging world of Stardew Valley.
Day Cycle in Stardew Valley
Unlike the 24-hour format, we’re used to in our mundane life, the day cycle in Stardew Valley is somewhat different. Each day is 20 hours in the game, stretching from 6 am to 2 am.
Past midnight, you’ll notice that you are becoming more tired and need to sleep. However, the maximum time you can stay awake is 2 am, after which you will pass out.
Although you could stay late, it is not advisable, and you shouldn’t do it. I’ll tell you why.
Thanks to its in-game mechanic, if you stay up past midnight in Stardew Valley, you will wake up with less energy the next day.
Pushing it too far can cause you to pass out from exhaustion and lose up to 10% of your money.
Taking care of yourself and ensuring you get enough rest is crucial for success in the game.
Getting to bed on time is essential; it rewards you with a complete energy and health bar the next day.
However, passing out only allows for half of the energy and health to be replenished.
From my personal experience, I’ve learned that reminding myself to wrap up playing can prevent getting caught up in the game and staying up too late.
To give you a better understanding of how the day and overall time cycle work in Stardew Valley, you can check the table below:
| Game time | Real-time |
|---|---|
| Full day 6 am to 2 am, 20 hours | 14 minutes |
| Week (full days) | 1 hour, 38 minutes |
| Season (full days) | 6 hours, 32 minutes |
| Year (full days) | 26 hours, 8 minutes |
By the end of each day, your Stardew Valley game save progress will be preserved right after you go to bed and sleep.
How Can You Tell Which Day Is It In Which Season?
There are mainly two ways to tell which day it is in a particular season easily. The first one is by checking the calendar located in Town Square.
The calendar is located on the left-hand side of the bulletin board and can be interacted with by clicking on it.
The calendar can tell you how many days are in the season and what holidays, events, and birthdays are coming up.
You can later get your own calendar for your house so you don’t have to check the date in town.
In addition, the game displays the current day and time in the upper right corner of the screen. The current season and day of the week are also displayed next to the day and time.
This information is helpful for planning your activities in the game, as certain events and activities are only available on certain days of the week or during certain seasons.
I like to use the calendar in combination with my planner or calendar to keep track of important events and dates in the game.
It helps me stay organized and make the most of my time in Stardew Valley.
FAQs
- How long is each season in Stardew Valley?
Each season lasts for 28 in-game days, providing a fixed time limit for players to accomplish their goals.
- Can the length of the seasons be changed in Stardew Valley?
No, the length of each season is fixed, but players can use in-game tools to optimize their time.
- Are the seasons in Stardew Valley the same every year?
Yes, the seasons follow the same pattern every year, allowing players to learn and plan ahead.
- Can I plant and harvest crops in all seasons in Stardew Valley?
Each season has specific crops that can be planted and harvested, requiring players to plan their crop rotations accordingly.
- What happens if I miss a festival or event during a season in Stardew Valley?
If you miss an event, you’ll have to wait until it comes around next year, but missing an event doesn’t significantly impact gameplay.
