Summary
Stardew Valleycreator Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone has finally shared an update on the status of his next pixelated life-sim video game,Haunted Chocolatier. TheStardew Valleydeveloper first announcedHaunted Chocolatierback in 2021, and this is the first major update on the game since then, sparking enthusiastic responses from fans.
ConcernedApe’s first foray into video game development began with the release ofStardew Valleyin 2016. The indie title has cemented an impressive legacy as one of thebest life-sim video gamesof all time, garnering a dedicated fan base that has continued to grow over the years. Wanting to expand his passion for game development even further, ConcernedApe has been slowly progressing on another major release, and he has finally shed more light on how he plans to pursue the development of his second game.
In an announcement on the officialblog siteforHaunted Chocolatier, ConcernedApe revealed that the title was left “getting dusty on the shelf” while he focused onStardew ValleyUpdate 1.6, but he still has a “strong desire” to pursue his next project.Haunted Chocolatierwill see players take on the role of a chocolate maker living in a small town and working to make a name for themselves. While ConcernedApe acknowledged thatHaunted Chocolatiertook a backseat toStardew Valley, he assured fans that he has completed “a ton of work on the game,” such as mostly completing the “skeleton” before fleshing it out with content. He stated thatHaunted Chocolatierwill not feature any “early access” or pre-orders tied to a fixed timeline, and he will instead focus on only releasing the game when it is complete, and he is “happy with it.”
ConcernedApe Continuing Work on Haunted Chocolatier
ConcernedApe further revealed in the blog post announcement that he prefers to “disappear and work in isolation” on one game at a time, hence why development onHaunted Chocolatierneeded to be paused while he focused on pushing outupdates forStardew Valley. He confirmed thatHaunted Chocolatieris also a solo development project and that the game, just likeStardew Valley, is being coded “mostly” from scratch with C#. The game creator did share some sneak peek snapshots of the current version ofHaunted Chocolatier, including some character sprites, a HUD, and a look at gameplay, though he did note the images shared are not a final product and are subject to change. Fans have responded with words of encouragement, with theStardew Valleycommunity voicing patience and support as ConcernedApe continues his work ofHaunted Chocolatier.
Whiledetails aboutHaunted Chocolatierremain scarce,Stardew Valleyfans continue to share their excitement for the next life-sim gaming experience from ConcernedApe. The launch of the highly-anticipated title may still be some time away, but interested players can stay tuned for when more updates aboutHaunted Chocolatierare finally revealed.
Haunted Chocolatier
WHERE TO PLAY
Haunted Chocolatier is an upcoming adventure game from Stardew Valley creator ConcernedApe (Eric Barone). The game is currently set to feature a lush explorable world, chocolate making and cooking, a spooky theme, and more. There is currently no release date or time period for the game.
