Haunted Chocolatier is the next game from Stardew Valley developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone, which means that it’s going to be an instant hit the moment it’s out. Unfortunately for us, it’s also a fairly enigmatic project at the moment. Since announcing Haunted Chocolatier in 2021, Barone has revealed fairly few details about it, and we still have no idea when it might grace our Steam libraries. Fortunately, I’ve dedicated an alarming amount of my free time to parsing Barone’s Haunted Chocolatier blog, and I’m here to report back with the facts (and some theories) to munch on in the meantime.
What the heck is Haunted Chocolatier? Is it a sequel to Stardew Valley?
Haunted Chocolatier is an upcoming simulation RPG developed by Barone, and it puts players in charge of running a chocolate shop in a haunted castle. It’s not quite a direct sequel to Stardew Valley, but it seems to have the same general structure: move to a new town, revitalize a business, befriend (and romance) the townspeople, fight some foes, get really rich. Basically, it’s Stardew Valley’s mysterious cousin.
So is it set in the world of Stardew Valley?
We don’t know yet! While we haven’t seen anything major like returning townspeople or recognizable locations, I definitely wouldn’t put it past Barone to subtly link the lore of the games together. In the game’s official FAQ, when asked (presumably by himself) if the worlds are connected, Barone ominously stated: “I’m not ready to reveal anything like that just yet.” That sounds a little suspicious to me.
What makes the gameplay different?
Outside of that central gathering, crafting, and selling loop that you’re likely already well-acquainted with, Haunted Chocolatier is set to feature a greater focus on combat. There are now shields, which can be used to stun enemies, alongside more unrevealed off-hand weapons. There will also be bosses, which is pretty exciting. Check out this cool bee boss with its own buzzy tune:
How much content will it have?
A LOT! Earlier this year, Barone revealed that 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.” I have no idea how that’s possible!
Okay, but is it multiplayer?
Apparently not, which is a bit surprising. Co-op was a pillar of Stardew’s success, but since Haunted Chocolatier is going down more of an RPG route, that’s apparently not in the cards here. Barone doesn’t currently plan on adding multiplayer options in the future, either.
Haunted…Is it scary?
Barone has said that Haunted Chocolatier will be a bit creepy, and it’ll have a darker and more mysterious atmosphere than Stardew. Don’t expect, like, Silent Hill or anything, though—the haunting that happens in this particular chocolatier seems pretty friendly. The trailer shows the ghosts in question seemingly helping to run the player’s chocolate store, and a screenshot in the FAQ reveals that they might even aid the player with some chocolate research, too. Ultimately, it’ll be “positive, uplifting and life-affirming,” according to another Barone blog post.
What’s the coolest part of Haunted Chocolatier?
The way the lighting in this bar changes as some sort of vehicle drives past. Look at it!
When is the game coming out?
Probably not for a while! ConcernedApe admitted that he “shouldn’t have announced the game so early.” He’s been working on both Haunted Chocolatier and new updates for Stardew simultaneously, which have led to development taking longer than expected. In an interview back in 2025, he said he hopes that the game will be out within the next five years.
We do know, however, that he’s been dedicating more of his time to Haunted Chocolatier after he added more people to the Stardew team. He recently told Game Informer that he spends five days a week on Haunted Chocolatier and two on Stardew updates, although he’s currently the only developer working on Haunted Chocolatier. So while a release date is likely still far out, it’s also not about to be cancelled or anything.
What platforms is it headed to?
Right now, PC is the only confirmed platform we’ll be able to creepily craft chocolates on, but Barone has stated that he’s planning on bringing it to other major platforms as well. I seriously cannot foresee this game launching without at least also being on Switch, but time will tell.
Where can I stay updated on Haunted Chocolatier news?
ConcernedApe’s Haunted Chocolatier blog! That being said, he’s fairly elusive regarding these devlogs, so don’t expect frequent updates or groundbreaking reveals about late-game content. There’s also that one gaming news site that tends to post stuff about Haunted Chocolatier. I think it’s called Kotaku?
