After the massive hit that was Stardew Valley, the game’s creator, Eric “ConcerdApe” Barone, is hard at work on Haunted Chocolatier. A game about creating sweet treats, running a confectionery store, and pursuing romance, Barone says that the game won’t just be larger in scope than Stardew Valley; it’ll also be darker and more unsettling than his breakout hit.
“It’s way bigger than Stardew Valley, at least in terms of the amount of maps, the amount of monsters, the depth to the whole item system, and all the equipment slots and all the stuff like this. Everything is cranked up,” Barone said to Game Informer, while also detailing how the game allows him to craft an experience with a “darker” theme and atmosphere. He’s not aiming to develop a full-blown horror game, but Haunted Chocolatier does have an unsettling vibe.
“The ghosts, the haunted nature, the castle, allow for a lot of interesting, creative things that I can do that are kind of creepy, like not totally horrifying, but maybe slightly, you know, creepy stuff,” Barone said.
As for when Haunted Chocolatier will come out? The game was first announced in 2021, and since then, Barone and his team have been hard at work on it and keeping Stardew Valley updated at the same time. The developer says that he works at his best when he doesn’t have to deal with distractions and can fully lock in on the task at hand.
There’s no concrete release date yet for the game, but Barone and his crew are “knee-deep” in its development currently.