‘Stardew Valley’ Creator Announces Next Chill Game, ‘Haunted Chocolatier’

By Mikelle Leow, 27 Oct 2021

Image via Haunted Chocolatier

Having spent a whole decade working on the popular simulation game Stardew Valley as a one-man show, game developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone is ready to sweeten the deal for fans with his next project, quite literally. His second game, Haunted Chocolatier, takes on the same cute pixelated aesthetics of its predecessor, but instead of farming, you’ll be making the most delicious chocolates.

To be clear, Haunted Chocolatier is a standalone game and not a sequel to Stardew Valley, which turned out to be a source of comfort for many during the pandemic. You’ll play a chocolatier who lives in a haunted castle—a strange concept that arrived “in a flash” to the creator. Confections will be prepared with ingredients you collect in the wild, then sold in your chocolate shop. Along the way, your character might fall in love too.

Image via Haunted Chocolatier

After throwing himself into the world of a farming simulator, Barone decided it was time to dabble in fantasy, hence the introduction of ghosts.

Image via Haunted Chocolatier

Contrary to what its title might imply, Haunted Chocolatier isn’t going to be a dark, gloomy version of Stardew Valley. “Don’t think for a moment that, because this game features ghosts in a haunted castle, it is an evil or negative game,” Barone describes on the game’s website. Like the first, Haunted Chocolatier will be “positive, uplifting and life-affirming,” he explains.

Barone says to think of it this way: “If Stardew Valley mostly channeled the energy of the sun, Haunted Chocolatier channels the energy of the moon. Both are vital.”

As of now, there aren’t any release details for the game. It’s still a little ways down the road, since there’s just one person working on it. You can, however, catch an early glimpse with the gameplay trailer below.