Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone, the acclaimed indie developer known for the breakout success of Stardew Valley, has provided fans with a fresh update on the development of his highly anticipated second title, Haunted Chocolatier.
As expectations mount following years of sustained updates to Stardew Valley, Barone took to his official blog to directly address the growing curiosity—sometimes concern—around Haunted Chocolatier’s progress and its eventual release on platforms like the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch 2. Haunted Chocolatier, a unique life simulation game that combines shop management and supernatural elements, has captured the attention of the gaming community since its revealing.
The game promises players the opportunity to run a chocolate shop with spectral companions, offering a fresh yet familiar experience for fans of ConcernedApe’s previous work.
However, the ambitious project has been in development for several years, prompting some fans to fear possible delays or abandonment. Barone, reassuring his audience, clarified in a recent post, "Yes, development is taking longer than I anticipated, but this is not unexpected." He acknowledged that he may have announced Haunted Chocolatier prematurely, stating, "In hindsight, I revealed the project early for personal reasons, but I stand by that decision despite the extended timeline." Dispelling several persistent rumors, Barone set the record straight on a few key topics.
Addressing speculation that Haunted Chocolatier could be abandoned or merged with Stardew Valley, he wrote, "There’s no plan to incorporate Haunted Chocolatier content into Stardew Valley.
Not only does this not make sense creatively, but the games are technically separate, each built from the ground up with unique engines.
It’s simply not feasible to merge one with the other." Fans have also questioned whether ongoing updates for Stardew Valley serve as testing grounds for Haunted Chocolatier features.
Barone was explicit: "When I’m working on Stardew Valley updates, my focus is solely on that title.
The games remain distinct, and content from one is not being repurposed for the other.
I’m careful not to spoil ideas planned for Haunted Chocolatier." Stardew Valley, which first launched in 2016 and saw a Switch release in 2017, has enjoyed remarkable longevity, with its popularity reaffirmed by a significant Switch 2 Edition update rolled out as recently as December 2025.
Barone explained, "New content is added to Stardew Valley because of its very active and dedicated player base, not because of any setbacks with Haunted Chocolatier." There is still no official release date for Haunted Chocolatier, and Barone cautioned against reading into speculative timelines: "When asked in 2025 if Haunted Chocolatier would arrive in the next five years, I simply answered, 'I hope so.' The release is scheduled for when the game is truly ready." Meanwhile, regional issues with the Switch 2 version of Stardew Valley—such as launch bugs—are largely resolved, and Nintendo eShop users in North America can freely download the latest edition if they already own the Switch version.
This ongoing support underscores Barone’s dedication to his games and community. Reflecting on his creative evolution, Barone shared, "Designing bosses for Haunted Chocolatier has been a new and exciting challenge, distinctly different from my work on Stardew Valley.
I’m motivated by the desire to grow as a developer and bring novel experiences to my players." As development continues, fans are encouraged to stay patient and follow Barone’s official channels for future updates.
With a proven commitment to quality and player satisfaction across all his projects, the eventual launch of Haunted Chocolatier is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated releases for Nintendo Switch and beyond.
As expectations mount following years of sustained updates to Stardew Valley, Barone took to his official blog to directly address the growing curiosity—sometimes concern—around Haunted Chocolatier’s progress and its eventual release on platforms like the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch 2. Haunted Chocolatier, a unique life simulation game that combines shop management and supernatural elements, has captured the attention of the gaming community since its revealing.
The game promises players the opportunity to run a chocolate shop with spectral companions, offering a fresh yet familiar experience for fans of ConcernedApe’s previous work.
However, the ambitious project has been in development for several years, prompting some fans to fear possible delays or abandonment. Barone, reassuring his audience, clarified in a recent post, "Yes, development is taking longer than I anticipated, but this is not unexpected." He acknowledged that he may have announced Haunted Chocolatier prematurely, stating, "In hindsight, I revealed the project early for personal reasons, but I stand by that decision despite the extended timeline." Dispelling several persistent rumors, Barone set the record straight on a few key topics.
Addressing speculation that Haunted Chocolatier could be abandoned or merged with Stardew Valley, he wrote, "There’s no plan to incorporate Haunted Chocolatier content into Stardew Valley.
Not only does this not make sense creatively, but the games are technically separate, each built from the ground up with unique engines.
It’s simply not feasible to merge one with the other." Fans have also questioned whether ongoing updates for Stardew Valley serve as testing grounds for Haunted Chocolatier features.
Barone was explicit: "When I’m working on Stardew Valley updates, my focus is solely on that title.
The games remain distinct, and content from one is not being repurposed for the other.
I’m careful not to spoil ideas planned for Haunted Chocolatier." Stardew Valley, which first launched in 2016 and saw a Switch release in 2017, has enjoyed remarkable longevity, with its popularity reaffirmed by a significant Switch 2 Edition update rolled out as recently as December 2025.
Barone explained, "New content is added to Stardew Valley because of its very active and dedicated player base, not because of any setbacks with Haunted Chocolatier." There is still no official release date for Haunted Chocolatier, and Barone cautioned against reading into speculative timelines: "When asked in 2025 if Haunted Chocolatier would arrive in the next five years, I simply answered, 'I hope so.' The release is scheduled for when the game is truly ready." Meanwhile, regional issues with the Switch 2 version of Stardew Valley—such as launch bugs—are largely resolved, and Nintendo eShop users in North America can freely download the latest edition if they already own the Switch version.
This ongoing support underscores Barone’s dedication to his games and community. Reflecting on his creative evolution, Barone shared, "Designing bosses for Haunted Chocolatier has been a new and exciting challenge, distinctly different from my work on Stardew Valley.
I’m motivated by the desire to grow as a developer and bring novel experiences to my players." As development continues, fans are encouraged to stay patient and follow Barone’s official channels for future updates.
With a proven commitment to quality and player satisfaction across all his projects, the eventual launch of Haunted Chocolatier is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated releases for Nintendo Switch and beyond.
