Haunted Chocolatier: Everything We Know about Stardew Valley’s Successor So Far

ConcernedApe, the developer of the magnificent Stardew Valley, announced that he was working on a new game called the Haunted Chocolatier back in 2021. The news of the Haunted Chocolatier was extremely well received and gained hype almost immediately.

It has been three years since that announcement. Although we still don’t know much about the next ConcernedApe town-building experience, there is a decent amount of information out there if you know where to look.

Haunted Chocolatier Gameplay

While the Haunted Chocolatier does bear a strong resemblance to its predecessor, it will definitely be its own experience. Gone are the lazy days on the farm with little to no stress. The Haunted Chocolatier will play more like an action RPG than a life-sim game. If you are a fan of the high-risk areas in Stardew Valley, like the Mines or Skull Cavern, you will love this.

The Haunted Chocolatier will have a much larger emphasis on the combat side of things. Of course, there are still some of the Stardew Valley gameplay elements we have grown to love. Forging relationships with your neighbours, foraging for ingredients to use in your shop, and design features will still be present as you decorate your chocolaterie. However, combat will play a more prominent role in the overall experience.

The Haunted Chocolatier gameplay trailer features several new weapons, including a bow, a long stick, and a shield. This shield can be used to stun enemies, giving you the perfect opportunity to land a flurry of hits without worrying about retaliation. This shield mechanic is explained in more detail in a blog post where ConcernedApe delves into Haunted Chocolatier’s combat.

“The shield/stun mechanic rewards more cautious, patient players who wait for a window of opportunity. 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.”

While the combat mechanics will differ from those in Stardew Valley and have been coded specifically for the Haunted Chocolatier, the adorable Slime enemies will make a comeback. Other enemies, like a large bee enemy named the Big Bee Foe, in particular, indicate that players can expect to see some epic boss battles in the Haunted Chocolatier.

The combat in the Haunted Chocolatier was, in part, influenced by Diablo II, of all things, as mentioned in this interview with ScreenRant in December 2022. Elements like gathering loot and increasing your stats are just some of the new features we can expect to see in the hauntingly sweet RPG.

Haunted Chocolatier Release Date

There is currently no release date for the Haunted Chocolatier. ConcernedApe had put the Haunted Chocolatier’s development on hold in preference of getting the Stardew Valley 1.6 update bug-free and running on all platforms.

The Stardew Valley 1.6 update has been running smoothly on PC since March 2024, and the console and mobile release date has since been confirmed. With any luck, work on the Haunted Chocolatier will continue with gusto soon after November 4, when the Stardew Valley 1.6 update finally hits console and mobile.

Will the Haunted Chocolatier Have Multiplayer?

Stardew Valley is an excellent game to play with friends and family. The Haunted Chocolatier, on the other hand, won’t be. The FAQ section of the Haunted Chocolatier blog maintains that it is being designed as a single-player experience, and ConcernedApe has no plans to make it multiplayer.

What Platforms Will the Haunted Chocolatier Release On?

The Haunted Chocolatier is currently being developed for PC only. But as mentioned on the Haunted Chocolatier blog’s FAQ page, ConcernedApe has every intention of bringing it to other consoles as well.

Stardew Valley has done incredibly well on console and even mobile, so while it has not been confirmed, it’s not outside the realms of possibility that the Haunted Chocolatier could find itself on those platforms, too, once it has officially released.