Haunted Chocolatier is the next game from Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone, aka ConcernedApe, and I'll be honest: it's been a long wait for this one, fellow cozy gamers. However, despite the years counting down and no release date announcement yet, there are plenty of updates and details for us to start unpacking.
Right now, Barone is also working on a Stardew Valley 1.7 update, but there have been new posts and discussions about Haunted Chocolatier. In fact, in June 2026, Barone assured fans that he is still focused on the game and committed to making it a title he is truly happy with before releasing it to the wild. This is easily one of my personal most anticipated new games on the horizon, so I've been tracking every bit of news and all the theories while we wait for more concrete updates.
Below you'll find platform information, release window clues, and even quotes from a recent interview where Barone spoke at length about the upcoming adventure. For instance, now we know that the creator has been exploring the option to bring in chocolate alternatives, alongside setting a limit on how many chocolates we can eat each day as we run our own shop (exciting times!). So for everything that you need to know about Haunted Chocolatier, read on, friends!
Haunted Chocolatier release date speculation
Currently, there's no Haunted Chocolatier release date, and it's unlikely that we'll see the game anytime soon. In an FAQ posted back in 2021, Barone stated, "I can't commit to a release date yet" as it's still "relatively early in development."
"I want to be able to work in peace without the pressure of a release date, or even an estimated release date," the post continues. In a later update, Barone added: "The bottom line is that I won't rest or release this game until I am personally satisfied that it's very fun and compelling, in every aspect. If it never gets there, I'll never release it. But don't worry, I have 100% faith that I'll get it there."
In 2025, during an appearance on Bobby Lee's TigerBelly podcast, Barone also said he can't say if Haunted Chocolatier will be out by 2030, but that's "the goal", adding that "there's still lots to be done". So, for now, it looks like 2030 is our best bet; however, it may take longer as well, so stay tuned for updates.
Haunted Chocolatier platforms
In terms of what platforms Haunted Chocolatier is expected to release on, the FAQ confirms that PC is the only certainty, but there's "every intention" of bringing it to other major platforms as well.
If it follows in the footsteps of Stardew Valley, we should see the game head to Xbox Series X, PS5, and Nintendo Switch in the future, too (and perhaps the Switch 2, given that Nintendo's new console is now out in the wild). We may also see a mobile release. We'll keep you posted as more platform news gets announced.
Haunted Chocolatier development
There is going to be a Stardew 1.6 update. It's mostly changes for modders (which will make it easier & more powerful to mod). But there is also new game content, albeit much less than 1.5. I'm taking a break from Haunted Chocolatier to work on this at the moment. Then back to HCApril 16, 2023
Haunted Chocolatier is indeed the next game from Stardew Valley developer Eric Barone. Also known as ConcernedApe, the dev has been busy working to bring us the sizable Stardew Valley 1.6 update, which is now available on consoles as well as PC.
While Barone took a break from Haunted Chocolatier to focus on the update for some time, he revealed that he's done "a ton of work" on the upcoming game in another blog post.
But even if more progress has been made on the project, Barone reiterates in the blog that it won't be ready for some time, and just like Stardew Valley, it won't be releasing in Early Access, be crowdfunded, or have pre-orders, "so I don't feel a ton of external pressure to finish the game on a timeline".
We should also mention that another Stardew update is planned as well. According to the game's website, Stardew Valley 1.7 may delay Haunted Chocolatier work, "but not as much as you might think." The 1.7 update has Barone acting more as "creative director" this time around, so he should have more time for Haunted Chocolatier. However, we'll keep you posted as we follow any major development news and updates.
What kind of game is Haunted Chocolatier?
The FAQ describes Haunted Chocolatier as another "town game" like Stardew Valley, where you move to a new town and try out a new way of living. Not unlike the residents of Pelican Town, you'll be able to get to know the townspeople, be able to develop relationships with NPCs in Haunted Chocolatier, and "make progress in many ways".
But the new adventure is closer to an action-RPG in comparison to Stardew Valley (aka one of the best farming games ever made), and it will be a single-player experience. While it's more of an action RPG in comparison to the farming sim, Barone said in an interview with PC Gamer that Haunted Chocolatier is still very much a life sim, and is similar to Stardew Valley in many ways, but it has more "dark and mysterious" vibes.
Currently, there is no word on any multiplayer features for Haunted Chocolatier, but we'll let you know as soon as we hear any news.
Haunted Chocolatier gameplay
The gameplay trailer above, which was released alongside the announcement back in 2021, serves up a vertical slice of how the game is currently shaping up in its early stages. With a look at some of the combat, interactions, town setting, locales, and even some ghosts sporting shades, there's plenty to see that has us excited.
In the first "hello world" blog post, Barone offers some insight into the kind of game Haunted Chocolatier will be, detailing some of the aims for the game and how it compares to Stardew Valley. While it's "developing organically" and may go in different directions, the post touches on the core gameplay loop, which involves "gathering ingredients, making chocolate, and running a chocolate shop."
Barone emphasizes that he doesn't want to be tied to any particular concept and expressed a desire to "explore more fantastical possibilities" and "experiences that take you beyond the ordinary".
"Chocolate represents that which is delightful," the post continues. "The haunted castle represents the allure of the unknown. The ghosts represent the imprint of the past. All of these things are important."
"However, don't think for a moment that, because this game features ghosts in a haunted castle, it is an evil or negative game," Barone adds. "On the contrary, I intend for this game to be positive, uplifting, and life-affirming. However, if Stardew Valley mostly channeled the energy of the sun, Haunted Chocolatier channels the energy of the moon. Both are vital."
In a blog post titled "Intuitive Chocolate making", Barone also revealed that there will be more than one way to make chocolate in the adventure as we run our shop:
"There will be a more 'intuitive' way, but there are also more conventional ways to do it [make chocolate]," Barone writes. "There will be reasons to use both, but you could just focus on one or the other if you wanted to. At their core, they are all processes in which you convert ingredients into final products. It's just that one process might be more 'whimsical' and another process might be more mechanical".
Barone also revealed in June 2025 that the world of Haunted Chocolatier is "larger than Stardew Valley", so it sounds as if we'll have a more expansive place to explore than that of Pelican Town in the farming sim.
Haunted Chocolatier combat
A later blog post update offered us more insight into the combat of Haunted Chocolatier, which is a bigger part of the experience in comparison to Stardew Valley. As we've seen so far in the early gameplay footage and some screenshots, there will be different weapons we can use, including shields that will allow us to deflect hits as we take on various foes in the world. As the blog details, many attacks can be blocked, and doing so will cause an enemy to become stunned and allow for quick attacks.
"The shield/stun mechanic rewards more cautious, patient players who wait for a window of opportunity," Barone writes. "But you don't have to play like this, you could just as well charge in aggressively, and if you can pull it off, you’ll defeat enemies more quickly that way. There will be other off-hand items besides shields that will compliment different play styles."
Of course, everything that's been shown so far is a work-in-progress, so it may change over the course of the game's development, but it's exciting to see the kind of direction combat is going in so far. Interestingly, a tweet also gave us a look at a screenshot of a big bee foe, which suggests we may be taking on boss battles. You can even listen to the music of the "boss bee" here.
Haunted Chocolatier news
- Haunted Chocolatier is "taking a long time," admits Stardew Valley creator ConcernedApe – but going "over every last detail" is just what it takes "to make a game I'm satisfied with"
- Expectations for Haunted Chocolatier are "a huge struggle" for Eric Barone because "there's going to be a lot of people playing this game who are expecting it to be a Stardew Valley 2"
- "I am not going to abandon Haunted Chocolatier," says Stardew Valley's Eric Barone: "I know, I shouldn't have announced the game so early"
- Stardew Valley 1.7 is as mysterious as ever, but that's because ConcernedApe doesn't want "too much hype" for the farming sim's new update as "it's going to be a while" before it's ready
- Eric Barone is "committed to not working on Stardew Valley until I'm done with Haunted Chocolatier," but he'll "never say" he's completely done with his magnum opus"
If you're after more life sims, check out our list of the best simulator games to play right now. Or for more titles we have a list of all the upcoming PC games to look forward to this year.
