Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone (ConcernedApe) announced Haunted Chocolatier, a brand-new game where you run a chocolate shop - and the spirits of the dead are your customers. The core of Haunted Chocolatier is gathering ingredients to make chocolate, then selling it. It resembles Stardew Valley in appearance, and despite featuring some different gameplay loops, Barone said it's similar to his earlier creation in other ways as well.
"In Stardew Valley, the focus was more humble: living off the land, growing food, and connecting to the people and nature around you," Barone said in his announcement post. "However, with my next game, I wanted to explore more fantastical possibilities… experiences that take you beyond the ordinary. That’s where magical haunted ghost chocolate comes in."
Read more: ConcernedApe says Stardew Valley may not receive another update
Stardew Valley Creator Announces Follow-Up Project Haunted Chocolatier
He said he tried incorporating multiple themes in Haunted Chocolatier, including comfort (the chocolate), the past's imprint (ghosts), and the magic of the unknown by setting all this in a haunted castle. It's not a scary or depressing game, though.
"I intend for this game to be positive, uplifting and life-affirming," he said. "However, if Stardew Valley mostly channeled the energy of the sun, Haunted Chocolatier channels the energy of the moon. Both are vital."
Haunted Chocolatier currently has no release date, and Barone said with the way he works, it could be a while yet before there's any new update. The nature of Haunted Chocolatier's reveal is also in keeping with how he works. Earlier in the summer, Barone said any future reveals from him would like be "spur of the moment."
Check out the Haunted Chocolatier debut trailer below:
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