Stardew Valley is an agricultural RPG game that can be played online with friends. In the game you start off poor with a few run down tools and are expected to live off the land. You do this by exploring caves, building a farm, and becoming a part of the local community. You need to show the people of the town the opportunities they are missing and show them that Stardew Valley is a place full of opportunities that doesn’t have to rely on a huge corporation. You can farm with up to four players on a server. Sometimes you might experience lag on these servers. Some of this will come from the game server, but most of the lag comes from your own connection to the game. In this post we will show you how to fix lag spikes and lower ping times with a VPN. We will provide suggestions for PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch.
How to Fix Lag Spikes in Stardew Valley
Here is the quickest way to improve Stardew Valley lag on PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.
- Sign up for ExpressVPN (includes a 30-day money back guarantee)
- Download the ExpressVPN app and connect to a server in the region you wish to play in.
- Test to see if your ping has lowered from your normal response time.
- Launch Stardew Valley and enjoy!
Want to fix lag spikes on PS4 or Xbox One? If so follow these instructions.
- Sign up for ExpressVPN (includes a 30-day money back guarantee)
- Log into Expressvpn.com and go to the “DNS Settings” tab.
- Click the button to register your IP address.
- You can also set dynamic DNS (more technical users)
- Click on the “Dashboard” tab
- Look for the “Set up on all your devices” section and click on the “see all devices” link.
- Click on the set up guide for your console. ExpressVPN MediaStreamer supports PS4, PS3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360. They also have a YouTube video to help Nintendo Switch users get set up.
- Make note of the IP address given in the set up box to the right of the screen.
- Set the DNS on your console to the IP given on the ExpressVPN site.
Why Does Stardew Valley Lag?
The multiplayer mode of Stardew Valley is both a blessing and a curse. As we mentioned, you will play with users with differing Internet connection speeds. If you have performance issues when using the Internet in general then you can expect lag spikes when playing Stardew Valley. The two main considerations for lag are your Internet speed and hardware. PC gamers will want to focus on CPU, memory, and graphics card. Everyone needs a fast Internet connection.
More Tips to Fix Lag Spikes in Stardew Valley
Let’s start by looking at the best way to increase your Internet speed and lower ping times. In doing so you can expect less lag and a better gaming experience. We recommend testing a VPN to improve ping and reduce your lag. The key is to find a better route between your system and the game server. Your ISP isn’t focused on this issue as much as VPN providers. They know that it’s a competitive advantage if they can offer you a faster router to key locations. Most of the game developers host regional game servers in the same locations. This allows VPNs to offer better routes and will give you a boost in performance.
Stardew Valley Server Locations
Stardew Valley lets players host their own servers. You will want to pick a location close to the server you play on. We can help you pick out locations that are best for each region.
Based off of other games we chose some key VPN server locations for ExpressVPN.
- United States – Washington DC, Los Angeles
- Europe – London, Paris, Frankfurt
- Asia Pacific – Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, Sydney
System Requirements and Recommendations
This section is mainly for PC gamers. You will want to make sure you have the proper system specs for Stardew Valley. The minimum requirements are often not enough to enjoy the game. You will want to come as close as possible (or above) these recommended system specs.
PC:
- Operating system – Windows Vista or better
- Processor – 2 Ghz or better
- Memory – 2 GB RAM
- Video card – 256 mb video memory, shader model 3.0+ or better
Mac:
- Operating system – OSX 10.10+ or better
- Processor – 2 GHz or better
- Memory – 2 GB RAM
- Video card – 256 mb video memory, OpenGL 2 or better
Linux:
- Operating system – Ubuntu 12.04 LTS or better
- Processor – 2 GHz or better
- Memory – 2 GB RAM
- Video card – 256 mb video memory, OpenGL 2 or better
Here is a little more information on using a VPN for gaming.
How to Play Stardew Valley with ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is our pick for best VPN to reduce lag. It will allow you to improve your gaming experience on a variety of devices. You will be able to install an easy to use app for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch users can enhance their game play by using the ExpressVPN app on compatible routers or taking advantage of MediaStreamer. The MediaStreamer service is available for all ExpressVPN users and it works on many devices. It allows you to increase your speed even further. However, it does not give you the extra privacy protection a VPN will offer you. ExpressVPN will allow you to make your game faster on many devices.
ExpressVPN can help improve your ping and reduce lag in online games. It will also protect your data through encryption. ExpressVPN has an exclusive discount with our readers that you can take advantage of. You can get a full year of VPN for 49% off with an extra 3 months for free. You will be able to save on your favorite games. Unblock geo-restricted content and get around firewalls at work or school to play anywhere. ExpressVPN gives you a 30 day money back guarantee. You can test out the service for one month and see all the benefits it provides.
