For those on the outside, the world of the Steam Deck seems like the Wild West.

After all, the sheer endlessness of the possibilities on the handheld PC is pretty overwhelming even for those with it in their hands, putting a focus on Steam titles but letting players access games from wherever they like, coming together to create a gaming experience unlike any other.

It seems that gaming charts are just as bizarre on the Steam Deck too, as a new indie king has appeared on its most-played charts - and it’s had plenty of time to make it here.

Stardew Valley clambers to the Steam Deck’s most-played charts

Steam has revealed a huge list of the games that have been played the most recently on the Steam Deck, and it has revealed that some recent barnstormers can’t stand up to the fact that some games are immensely replayable.

A new tweet from the official OnDeck Twitter account has revealed the games that have been played the most in March 2024, and the number one game presiding over gaming as a whole is ConcernedApe’s Stardew Valley, which first launched back in 2016.

The game has topped the likes of Helldivers 2 (a game that, to its credit, isn’t yet Steam Deck Verified), Elden Ring, and even Baldur’s Gate 3, the number one game played on the console last year.

It’s a hugely impressive feat, but it has one feature to thank - its huge new update.

Stardew Valley’s 1.6 update has pushed it incredibly far

It’s safe to say that even though players have been loving the game on the console, making it the 9th most-played game on the console throughout 2023, the newfound burst of players has come thanks to its huge 1.6 update, which introduces new means of 100% completing the game, a new mastery system for skills and even new Racoon neighbours. It’s been a huge deal for the game’s community, and it’s clear to see that players are lapping it up.

It just goes to show that you can wow players with the newest toys, but there will always be the games that they go back to no matter what - especially when they offer new content. ConcernedApe is back on top, and we’re willing to bet that Haunted Chocolatier can manage to do just as well.