Eric Barone, better known as ConcernedApe, the creator of the immensely popular Stardew Valley, has recently teased that his next project, Haunted Chocolatier, will be even bigger than its predecessor. While Barone didn’t go into detail about how exactly the game will be ‘larger,’ this brief but exciting statement has set the community ablaze with speculation. Is it the size of the world, the length of the gameplay, or something el
se entirely?
The official statement from Barone is simply that the world of Haunted Chocolatier is ‘larger’ than Stardew Valley, but didn’t clarify further. Given that Stardew Valley already boasts a playtime of over 50 hours for the main story and over 160 hours for a completionist run, it’s safe to say that players have high expectations for the new game.
Excitement for Haunted Chocolatier continues to build, with fans eagerly awaiting its release, though Barone has been transparent about the fact that the game is still a work in progress. In a recent interview, he admitted that the development process is far from complete and that he wants the new game to surpass the success of Stardew Valley.
Interestingly, Barone also hinted at the possibility of a Stardew Valley 2 in the future. However, he noted that it’s far easier to update and expand upon the existing world of Stardew Valley than to create an entirely new game. Barone mentioned how adding whimsical elements, like ‘green rain,’ is a fun process because most of the game’s systems are already built.
Haunted Chocolatier was first announced in 2021, and like Stardew Valley, it will feature a top-down pixel-based simulation. Though the setting and themes will be quite different-focused on a haunted chocolatier rather than farming-Barone has promised that it will retain the charm and depth that fans loved in his previous work.