Stardew Valley creator says Haunted Chocolatier development is going well

Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone has shared a positive development update for Haunted Chocolatier, confirming that work on his follow-up to Stardew Valley is continuing steadily. In an August 30 post, Barone said he has been productive on the project despite balancing it with other responsibilities.

There is still no release date or launch window. Barone remains focused on finishing the game to his own standards rather than committing to a schedule before it is ready.

Barone described Haunted Chocolatier as the project he is currently most eager to work on. He also said that his other commitments have not stopped him from making meaningful progress.

The developer has previously made it clear that he is comfortable letting development take as long as necessary. His priority remains releasing a finished game rather than pushing it out early.

Barone also said he is already enjoying Haunted Chocolatier in its unfinished state. He pointed to recent additions as part of the reason the game has become more enjoyable to play during development.

He did not reveal what those additions are. Barone has generally avoided showing unfinished systems too early because features can change before release.

Barone has previously described Haunted Chocolatier as a larger project than Stardew Valley in areas including maps, monsters, equipment, and item systems. The game combines RPG and simulation elements around a chocolatier living in a haunted castle.

Players will gather ingredients, make chocolates, operate a shop, interact with townspeople, and take part in more action-focused combat. The structure is different from Stardew Valley, even though both games share Barone’s visual style and simulation roots.

Barone has repeatedly said he does not want to announce a release date until the game is ready. He has also confirmed that Haunted Chocolatier remains a separate project rather than being abandoned or folded into Stardew Valley.

PC is still the only firmly confirmed platform. Barone intends to bring the game to other major platforms later, but the latest update does not provide a launch estimate.