The creator of Stardew Valley, a solo developer under the moniker ConcernedApe, has been working on his next game for several years now – Haunted Chocolatier, a dessert shop simulation game. But since the project was announced in 2021, not much news has emerged about it. PC Gamer Portal speakWhat is known about the game at the moment.
Haunted Chocolate release date
Unfortunately, the project doesn't even have an approximate release date yet. In 2023, the game's developer, ConcernedApe, announced that they would be pausing development on Haunted Chocolatier to complete the 1.6 update for Stardew Valley. It's already been released, so it's possible that the developer is back with a new project.
At the same time, ConcernedApe attached the first gameplay trailer of the game, released a few years ago, with the warning that the project is still far from being released – although in the video it looks quite finished. Four years have passed since the trailer was published, but judging by the screenshots that the developer posted on his personal blog, work is progressing without any problems.
Haunted Chocolatier's mechanics and gameplay
Unlike Stardew Valley, a farm life simulation game, Haunted Chocolatier allows players to make chocolate and sell it in their own shop. As in the author's previous project, players will simultaneously live a quiet life in a small town filled with shops and other characters with their own stories.
According to ConcernedApe itself, gameplay will include gathering ingredients, making chocolate, and managing a shop. But he separately noted the emphasis on the combat system – it is more developed than Stardew Valley. For example, Haunted Chocolatier will have a shield so players can block enemy attacks and stun them. But in addition to them, you can get other items in the vintage that suit alternative play styles.
Additionally, in an interview with VGKami, the author confirmed that Haunted Chocolatier will have a romantic relationship mechanic, just like in Stardew Valley. True, he has not yet decided exactly how it will work and, most likely, he will approach the implementation of the system differently.
The last thing we know for sure is that Haunted Chocolatier will be bigger than Stardew Valley. Alas, the developer did not share any other details.
Mods support
ConcernedApe hasn't specified anything regarding modifiers or modifiers in Haunted Chocolatier, but it's safe to assume there will be some. This developer has previously been a big supporter of modders creating content for Stardew Valley, so Haunted Chocolatier will likely follow a similar path.
Will there be a co-op mode in the game?
No, Haunted Chocolatier is strictly a single-player game. Stardew Valley later received a multiplayer mode, with one of the major updates following its release. But in this case, ConcernedApe has no such plans.
