So, like, last year, Stardew Valley got this huge update because the dude who made it, Eric Barone, didn’t wanna stop making it better, even though it had been out for like eight years. But now, he’s all like, “I gotta move on from Stardew Valley for a bit so I can finish up my new game, Haunted Chocolatier.”
In a recent chat with PC Gamer, Eric Barone (or ConcernedApe, as he’s known online) spilled the tea about how much he still loves Stardew Valley and wants all the fans to have a rad time playing it. He’s always worried about the game doing well and stuff, you know? But he’s been so caught up with Stardew Valley that it’s been hard for him to focus on Haunted Chocolatier, which he started working on back in 2020 and announced officially in October 2021.
“I think at some point I’m gonna have to just cut everything off,” Barone spilled to PC Gamer. “I’ve even thought about, like, going off the grid and living in a cabin in the woods for a couple of years just to finish this game.”
Although he’s not actually gonna become a hermit in the woods, Barone did mention that the 1.6 update for Stardew Valley is pretty much set in stone now, with most bugs squashed. He’s made a promise to not touch Stardew Valley again until Haunted Chocolatier is all wrapped up. “I feel good about where Stardew Valley is at. I’m super proud of it, and I think new players in 2025 will have a blast with it if they’re into this kinda game,” he said.
As for Haunted Chocolatier, Barone admitted that after working on it on and off for nearly five years, he’s had to go back and redo a bunch of stuff. “It’s not that it’s bad or anything, it’s just, you know, being a solo dev takes forever to make a game. I’m a totally different person now compared to four years ago, so my whole vibe has changed—my style has evolved,” Barone explained.
While fans wait patiently for Haunted Chocolatier to drop, they can still enjoy Stardew Valley on pretty much any gaming platform out there, like consoles, mobile devices, and PC. So, like, grab your controller or your smartphone and get your farming on!
