Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone says his next game is aimed at players who enjoy exploring mines, fighting monsters and finding better equipment.
Haunted Chocolatier will put a much bigger emphasis on combat and exploration than Stardew Valley, according to creator Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone.
Speaking in a new interview with British GQ, Barone explained that his upcoming game will lean more toward action RPG gameplay, with players exploring new areas, collecting equipment, fighting monsters and taking on bosses.
While Haunted Chocolatier will still feature a town and familiar elements from Stardew Valley, running a chocolate shop won’t be the only thing keeping players busy.
Haunted Chocolatier Is for Stardew Valley Players Who Love the Mines
Barone made an interesting comparison when discussing the direction of Haunted Chocolatier. Rather than focusing on Stardew Valley’s farming mechanics, he pointed to the players who spend their time exploring the mines.
“It’s for the people in Stardew Valley that go into the mines. That’s what I do, honestly.”
In Stardew Valley, mining offers a break from farming and social activities. Players venture underground to collect resources, fight enemies and find valuable equipment.
Haunted Chocolatier appears to be taking that part of the experience and making it a much bigger part of the overall game.
Barone confirmed that character progression, stronger equipment, monsters and boss encounters will be central to the experience.
That doesn’t mean the familiar town-based gameplay is disappearing. Players will still explore a town, meet characters and operate a chocolate shop. However, combat and adventuring will play a more prominent role than they do in Stardew Valley.
ConcernedApe Won’t Rush Haunted Chocolatier
Barone also discussed the pressure of developing a follow-up to Stardew Valley, a game that has continued attracting players for more than a decade.
Despite that pressure, he isn’t interested in releasing Haunted Chocolatier before he’s satisfied with it.
He explained that he has deliberately kept the game private during development, choosing not to let others play it before he feels it is ready to be shown.
The developer compared the situation to cooking a meal, explaining that serving something before it is finished wouldn’t make sense.
The comments are consistent with an August 2026 development update, in which Barone reassured players that work on Haunted Chocolatier was continuing.
In that update, he acknowledged that development had taken longer than expected but made it clear that he wouldn’t sacrifice quality to release the game sooner.
Barone continues to develop Haunted Chocolatier largely on his own, even after the enormous success of Stardew Valley.
When Is Haunted Chocolatier Coming Out?
Haunted Chocolatier still has no confirmed release date.
The game was originally announced in October 2021, and Barone has shared occasional development updates since then.
Although the wait has been lengthy, he has repeatedly stated that he doesn’t want to commit to a release window before the project is ready.
The game’s official FAQ currently confirms PC as its only guaranteed platform, although Barone intends to bring the game to other major platforms.
For now, the latest interview offers a clearer picture of what players can expect.
Haunted Chocolatier won’t simply be Stardew Valley with a chocolate shop replacing the farm. It will retain the town-based structure while putting considerably more emphasis on exploration, combat and character progression.
For players who always headed straight for the mines in Stardew Valley, that sounds like exactly the direction Barone is aiming for.
Sources: British GQ interview, ConcernedApe development update, Pirat Nation’s X post.
