The Stardew Valley Cup is a $ 40,000 tournament by creator ConcernedApe

Each game enjoys at least 15 minutes of esports glory. Valley of starsit turns out that the time for competition to shine is coming five years after its initial release. As a tribute to the game’s greatest speedrunners and content creators, as well as the passionate farming simulation community they helped create in the process, Valley of starsThe creator of has announced that he will give away $ 40,000 to the winners of the first official agricultural simulation tournament next month.

“I am happy to announce the 1st Valley of stars Mug! ”Eric“ ConcernedApe ”Barone announced on Twitter during the weekend. “It’s a competition of skills, knowledge and teamwork, with a prize pool of over $ 40,000.”

Now you might be wondering how players compete against each other in a game known for raising crops, making friends, and discovering romance through slow but cold games? good Valley of stars YouTuber Zach “UnsurpassableZ” Hartman, together with Barone, has come up with over 100 special challenges for players to complete in order to earn points and move up the leaderboard. Rather than running to beat the game, players will have three hours to try to complete as many challenges as possible, much like a treasure hunt set in a video game.

Here are some examples:

• Complete the Crafting Room – 10 points
• Win an ice fishing competition – 15 points
• Give Pam a lager – 5 points
• Give a loved gift to the Winter Star feat – 25 points
• Reach level 120 in the mines – 10 points
• Complete a monster eradication objective – 20 points
• Obtain a trash hat – 10 points

Instead of running solo, the competition will feature four teams of four players each. Each team will use Valley of stars‘s multiplayer co-op to work together on the same map. They will also get an extra point for each item shipped during the competition, and the team with the most gold at the end of it will also get another 20 point bonus. But wait, there is more! Throughout the event, Hartman will regularly unveil surprise challenges for players to discover and decide how to react on the spot.

“There are going to be five challenges in total and each of them is worth 50 points which I hope will cause players to stray from their predetermined route and risk it for the cookie,” he said. in a video. explaining the next Valley of stars The rules of the cut in detail.

Tasks like reaching level 120 in the mines can take teams of four players almost an hour, so it will be interesting to see how they prioritize the points and distribute the work. You can approach virtually any game with a competitive mindset, but the Stardew Valley Cup feels extremely well thought out and well-placed to create tense and potentially chaotic moments, especially with so much money at stake.

The main event is set to take place over Labor Day weekend on September 4 at noon ET with Barone and Hartman live and commenting on all the action. on Twitch and Youtube.