A dream come true: Stardew Valley is now fully playable in 3D

As older Reddit posts show, a fully 3D version of Stardew Valley has long been a dream for many fans. That dream has finally become reality. Nearly ten years after the game's release, Stardew 3DVR has appeared on Nexus Mods, making Stardew Valley fully playable in 3D. Rather than relying on newly created 3D models, the mod – developed by GingasVR – automatically generates three-dimensional objects from the game's existing sprites. Buildings and objects gain voxel-like depth that gives off subtle Minecraft vibes, while trees and plants are partially constructed from intersecting flat planes.

The result can look a little unusual in places, but it allows for broad compatibility with other mods. GingasVR specifically wants to support large content expansions and existing mod collections, which is why handcrafted 3D models are not currently planned. An optional True 3D mode is also available. It creates a more convincing sense of depth but places a heavier load on the GPU and may reduce frame rates.

Stardew Valley in VR

As the name suggests, Stardew 3DVR also supports VR headsets. Tools can be used through hand movements, while swords are swung with physical slashing motions. Fishing has also been redesigned for VR: players hook fish by pulling the virtual fishing rod upward, then control the familiar catch meter by raising and lowering their hand. Supported headsets include the Valve Index, HTC Vive and Meta Quest (currently available on Amazon for $765).

Still in development, but fully playable

As the developer explains on Nexus Mods, Stardew 3DVR is still under active development and currently suffers from a number of bugs. Known issues include floating objects, invisible sections of walls and objects appearing with incorrect orientations. In True 3D mode, map edges and transitions between different areas may also appear incomplete or display visual glitches.

Despite these issues, the developer says the mod already allows Stardew Valley to be played from start to finish – and the Reddit community seems to agree. Within just a few days, the announcement thread received more than 1,100 upvotes. Users described the mod as "incredible" and "mind bending," among other things. Anyone who wants to try it can download Stardew 3DVR for free from Nexus Mods. To install it, players first need SMAPI and the Generic Mod Config Menu, then simply copy the Stardew 3DVR files into Stardew Valley's mod folder.