Ever since it was first revealed in 2021, Haunted Chocolatier has been a highly anticipated cozy game. This is largely because it’s the next project from Eric Barone, the creator of the beloved Stardew Valley, known as ConcernedApe. After nearly five years with little news, some fans have started to worry if the game will ever be released. However, Barone recently shared a new blog post addressing some fan speculation and concerns.
It had been a while since fans last heard about Haunted Chocolatier, following the announcement of the 1.7 update for Stardew Valley in September 2025. However, on January 28th, Concerned Ape, the game’s creator, posted an update on the official Haunted Chocolatier website. He reassured fans that he’d been making good progress and shared some new screenshots. The post also clarified some misunderstandings about the game, which naturally sparked even more discussion and theories among fans.
Concerned Ape Says Haunted Chocolatier Will “Come Out When It’s Done”
Since Eric Barone doesn’t often share news about Haunted Chocolatier, fans frequently guess what’s happening with the game. His most recent update includes a general progress report, some new glimpses of gameplay, and a response to many of the theories circulating online.
Concerned Ape has reiterated that Haunted Chocolatier is a completely separate game from Stardew Valley. He’s confirmed that content created for Haunted Chocolatier won’t be added to Stardew Valley, and Stardew Valley updates aren’t being used to test new features for the upcoming game. This clarification addresses recent rumors and has been welcomed by fans, though it’s just one part of a larger announcement that’s currently grabbing most of the attention.
Concerned Ape addressed rumors about a 2030 release date for Haunted Chocolatier, explaining he never actually stated that as the release year. He clarified that when asked in 2025 if the game would be out within five years, he simply said he ‘hoped so,’ meaning the timeline is still flexible. He prefers not to announce a specific release date, stating the game will launch when it’s fully finished.
Fans are guessing that Concerned Ape will release Haunted Chocolatier unexpectedly, when it’s finished, and his reputation definitely allows for that kind of surprise launch. However, he didn’t explicitly say that’s the plan. He might still announce a release date later, or he might just release the game when it’s ready. Either way, it sounds like we’ll avoid the frustration of a delayed release date being announced beforehand.
Like most updates about Haunted Chocolatier, this post doesn’t reveal much new information about the game. It does confirm that Concerned Ape is still developing it, despite also working on a new Stardew Valley update. We still don’t have any idea when the game might be released, and it sounds like that won’t change anytime soon. Haunted Chocolatier will launch when it’s fully polished, and it seems it will feature adorable little round bears!
Excited about Haunted Chocolatier? Or are you prepared for a potentially long wait? Share your thoughts and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!
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2026-01-30 18:10