Release of Stardew Valley Creator’s New Game Could Face Delays

Alright, lemme try to scramble my brain here for a second. So, Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone—yeah, the dude behind Stardew Valley—he’s thinking about releasing this new gig, Haunted Chocolatier, by 2030. Or maybe not. Could be sooner, could be later. Who knows, right? It sounds like he’s still knee-deep in the grind, and timelines are just… well, kinda flexible for him right now.

Oh! Quick backstory here—Barone first dropped hints about Haunted Chocolatier in October 2021. Picture this: chocolate-making, a dash of action RPG, and ghosts. Yep, ghosts. Why not? Anyway, he’s from LA and has been giving us little crumbs about the game but hasn’t really laid out a solid roadmap.

And there’s this thing—progress got a bit tangled up because, surprise surprise, Stardew Valley needed some love with its 1.6 update. Priorities, am I right? He hit pause on the chocolate ghost party for a bit. And here’s the twist: Barone’s doing this whole thing solo. I mean, all by himself. Like a one-man band, juggling it all.

So, this chat happened between Barone and Bobby Lee, you know, the comedian guy with a podcast? They got into Haunted Chocolatier’s timeline, and Barone sort of shrugged and said, “I hope so” when asked if it’d be out in the next five years. Yeah, not super reassuring, but hey, creativity’s a process. Or… maybe he got distracted thinking about something else? Happens to the best of us.

Oh, and here’s a nugget for you—development sneakily started in 2020, a year before the big announcement. Barone was making strides in late 2021 but then dived back into Stardew Valley with an intense update in March 2024 (massive stuff, apparently). Jump to late 2024, and he’s back on the chocolate train, or so he says.

December 2024 rolls around, and he’s still neck-deep in work. Interview with Lee? Exact same vibe. He’s all about doing it solo, just like he did with Stardew Valley until he eventually caved and got some help, post-launch, by the way.

He’s got this sentiment, Barone does. Doesn’t wanna be the “Stardew Valley guy” forever, even if he could tweak it endlessly. Told Lee so, and also spilled a side project he’s cooking up with some mystery developer. Intrigue! But yeah, mum’s the word on that front for now.

Alright, I’ve wandered enough. But you get the gist. Haunted Chocolatier’s on its way—eventually—but Barone’s got his hands full, and he’s taking the scenic route. Because why rush perfection, right?