In former 2021 , indie developer Eric Barone ( commonly known as ConcernedApe online ) , famed for single - handedly creatingthe magicalStardew Valley(one of Digital Trends’best video games of all time ) , officially announced that he was developing an all - newfangled game that instantly shot up to the top of our list of anticipatedupcoming video gamesalongsideSilksongandMetroid Prime 4 : Beyond . That biz is calledHaunted Chocolatier , and it looks like a whole other world of merriment , casual simulation where you find out the secret desire of every single member of your community of interests .

Details are still special . but do n’t care — heap of info has already dropped . We ’ll keep you updated about every item so you screw what ’s move on .

Release date speculation

There is no determined freeing escort forHaunted Chocolatier , and it looks like it ’s going to be in development a bit longer than sports fan ab initio expected .

console table and mobile port are still in progress . I acknowledge that they are take a long clip . There are reasons for this , but the bottom tune is that they are not out yet , we are still work on them , and they have been our primary focus since 1.6 came out for PC . It would be …

& mdash ; ConcernedApe ( @ConcernedApe)August 28 , 2024

An August update from Concerned imitator issue forth as a post on X ( formerly Twitter ) partially point out on theStardew Valley1.6 update for console . Here , it is reveal that this update has been the squad ’s principal centering to the tip where “ I have not tinct Haunted Chocolatier in a farseeing clip . ” It seems we will have quite a long wait ahead indeed .

afterwards in December , we pose a full web log post on thegame ’s official websitewhere ConcernedApe went into more detail about the slow growing . He explains that he ab initio wanted theStardew Valley1.6 update to be “ done by others so that I could concenter on Haunted Chocolatier ” but finish up getting wrapped up in development himself . While the web log does n’t give much new information , it does give a mo of hope that the game is indeed in advance . “ I ’ve already done a gross ton of work on the secret plan . Before I took this jailbreak for Stardew 1.6 , I had created a “ upright piece ” of Haunted Chocolatier , essentially a skeleton in the closet of the secret plan with most ( not all ) of its bones in place , ” he explain . “ My next task will be to tweak the existing bone until I ’m felicitous with them , tot up all the rest of the bones , and then flesh it all out with all the content that will need to be in the game . Yes , it ’s going to be a lot of workplace still , but it ’s okay , I ’m addicted to the swot . ”

The only other detail of government note are that he has no plan to do any variety of early access , crowdfunding , or even preorders forHaunted Chocolatier . The post ends with a simple “ Thank you for read all this , and I look forwards to sharing this new globe with you … when it ’s ready ”

Platforms

Haunted Chocolatierwill absolutely be arrive out on PC , but there has been no reference of other platforms .

Stardew Valleyeventually made its style to consoles and mobile , so we ’re assumingHaunted Chocolatierwill be readily uncommitted to all gamers as well .

Trailers

We ’ve only seen a quick glance ofHaunted Chocolatierin an former gameplay TV released in October 2021 . The video show citizens lead about their twenty-four hour period in a cosy minuscule township , a fiddling bit of armed combat as a character gathers factor in the wilderness , and some chocolate - making footage from inside the coffee factory .

Gameplay

Haunted Chocolatierbegins with the actor starting up a chocolate shop while living in a stalk castle in the middle of a snowy biotic community . The thespian will demand to seek a wide assortment of ingredient and alliances to make the best chocolate possible and ultimately reach achiever .

It ’s not surprising just how exchangeable the game see toStardew Valleyso far . ConcernedApe has compared it to the energy of the moonshine , asStardew Valleywas the vigour of the sunlight . The art manner , movement , and interface are all recognisable here . However , it is being created in a raw engine , which appears to allow for some important accession . So far , there ’s no information if it ’s actually placed in the same populace asStardew Valley .

The simulation aspects

One of the things people fell in love with inStardew Valleywas the ability to take their time , get to get laid everyone in the community , and make progress with a variety of relationships ( and farming , of class ) , what Barone calls a “ town plot . ”Haunted Chocolatierwill be more of the same , with similar system to give gifts , get to cognise character , and pass on kinship … or make mistakes .

Action and combat

Here ’s whereHaunted Chocolatiersplits from Stardew Valley in important path . There is a much not bad emphasis on Action RPG feature , and that includes combat , which has a complete overhaul . There will be a variety of weapons and cuticle , a full block organization , a stun system connected with successfully blocking enemies , and more . This should make forage endeavor and exploration an interesting part of the game for those who desire a little more activity in their chocolate - making design .

Surprisingly , the combat in the game could take a chip of aspiration from Diablo II .

“ When I was in the early stages of Haunted Chocolatier , I was playing a crowd of Diablo II . Getting loot and seeing your numbers go up on the stats ? I like that stuff , ” say Barone in a December 2022interview with Screen Rant . “ I feel like a lot of Stardew Valley players are n’t that into it , but I ’ve just got to do what I think is fun . And I think that ’ll shine through in the game , if I ’m excited about it . ”

The soundtrack

lover ofStardew Valleyare no doubt eager to know what sort of solace tunesHaunted Chocolatierwill have . honorable news — it sounds great so far . you may check out the laggard to get an thought of what to expect . We probably wo n’t hear much more until the game nears mop up .

Multiplayer and co-op

According tothe FAQ sectionof the developer ’s web log , Haunted Chocolatieris being designed as a unmarried - player game with no program for any kind of multiplayer aspects .

Preorders

If the web log post onHaunted Chocolatier‘s site is to be believed , there will not be any preorder options for the biz . If that changes , we will keep you update .