Everything You Need to Know About Haunted Chocolatier, the Successor to Stardew Valley

Haunted Chocolatier is the highly anticipated next project from Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone, the mind behind Stardew Valley. If you’ve seen any previews, it’s clear that while it shares a visual style with the beloved farming sim, this time around, we’re trading in crops for confections: it’s all about running a chocolate shop, complete with ghosts.

Barone first announced Haunted Chocolatier in 2021, sending fans of Stardew Valley into a frenzy. However, he quickly retreated to focus on development away from the spotlight. Understandably so—managing that level of excitement can be overwhelming. Since then, we’ve caught a few glimpses of what to expect from this new venture.

As for a release date, there’s still no word on when we can expect Haunted Chocolatier to drop. If you’ve heard rumors about a 2030 release, Barone clarified in a recent blog post that this was a misunderstanding stemming from his hopeful response to a question about a five-year timeline. He emphasized, “The bottom line is, I don’t want to give a release date. The game will come out when it’s done.”

In the same update, Barone addressed some fan concerns, including speculation that the game might be canceled or merged with Stardew Valley. He dismissed these worries, though it’s clear that the legacy of Stardew Valley looms large over this new title.

After announcing that version 1.6 would be the last update for Stardew Valley, Barone surprised everyone by revealing a 1.7 update was on the way. When asked if this would slow down Haunted Chocolatier’s development, he noted, “maybe a little. But not as much as you might think.” This is because Stardew Valley now has a dedicated team working on it, allowing Barone to step into more of a creative director role.

In earlier news, alongside an early gameplay trailer, Barone mentioned that while the footage might suggest the game is far along, there’s still a lot of work to be done. Although we haven’t seen any new gameplay since 2021, the screenshots released hint that progress is being made.

The first trailer for Haunted Chocolatier showcases an environment and character design reminiscent of Stardew Valley, but instead of farming, players will be decorating a shop and crafting delicious chocolates. The trailer also highlights combat mechanics, featuring new gear like shields and bows, which will play a role in resource gathering for your chocolate creations. Players can also interact with townsfolk, with romance options confirmed by Barone.

Since the gameplay trailer, updates have been sparse, with only a few new screenshots shared by Barone. While these images don’t reveal much, they continue to build excitement for the game’s eventual launch.

In Haunted Chocolatier, players will focus on running a chocolate shop, crafting treats, and selling them to customers. Similar to Stardew Valley, the game will feature a vibrant town filled with NPCs, each with their own stories to discover as you expand your business.

Barone described the core gameplay loop as involving gathering ingredients, making chocolate, and managing your shop. He has also elaborated on the combat system, which will be more prominent in this game. Players will have access to shields for blocking attacks and stunning enemies, along with other off-hand items to suit different play styles.

The reveal trailer also teased the use of bows and arrows in combat, adding another layer of excitement.

While details on shop management remain limited, the trailer gives us a glimpse of players customizing their shop with various countertop styles and displaying different types of chocolate, all while ghostly helpers assist in the process.

Barone has confirmed that romantic relationships will return, similar to those in Stardew Valley, though he’s still deciding how the system will function this time around.

In a surprise reveal during a livestream in April 2022, Barone mentioned that Haunted Chocolatier will include boss fights. He even shared a track from the game’s soundtrack, hinting at a boss battle against a bee enemy, likely encountered while gathering honey for your chocolate creations. He also teased a more somber track titled “Pristine Snow.”

Barone has stated that the world of Haunted Chocolatier will be larger than that of Stardew Valley, though he hasn’t provided further details. This suggests a substantial area to explore, possibly featuring different realms for gathering chocolate ingredients.

After a long silence, Barone returned to Twitter in September 2023 to share a screenshot from Haunted Chocolatier, followed by several more in early October. While these images don’t show any ghosts or chocolates, they do feature characters that resemble those from Stardew Valley, sparking theories about potential connections between the two games.

In response to the buzz surrounding his infrequent updates, Barone mentioned that he prefers to work in secret, hinting at more surprises to come.

In a light-hearted moment, Barone took to social media to poke fun at gaming journalists for their coverage of his tweets, sharing a beautiful autumn-themed screenshot of Haunted Chocolatier. When a fan inquired about fishing in the game, he confirmed that players will indeed be able to fish, a feature that may excite or frustrate fans familiar with the challenges of fishing in Stardew Valley.

As for the cast of characters in Haunted Chocolatier, while details are still emerging, it’s clear that Barone is likely to support modding, given his history with Stardew Valley. Fans can expect a vibrant modding community to spring up around this new title.

Haunted Chocolatier will be a single-player experience, with no plans for multiplayer support like Stardew Valley had after its launch. However, it’s possible that modders may find a way to introduce multiplayer features, even without official backing.