Haunted Chocolatier is a simulation game[2] with action role-playing elements. The player's character runs a confectionery store. The player collects ingredients to make chocolate confections while also interacting with town locals and ghosts.[3] The player can pursue romantic relationships with non-player characters and can customize the layout of their store.[2]
In combat, the player can use weapons and shields to block and deflect attacks.[3]
Development
Eric Barone, known professionally as ConcernedApe, began to develop Haunted Chocolatier in 2020,[3] following his hit game Stardew Valley. He planned a similar solo development process in which he would make everything on his own.[4] He announced the game with a gameplay trailer in October 2021 and launched a promotional website.[3] He is simultaneously collaborating on another unannounced game.[4]
As seen in this pre-release screenshot, Haunted Chocolatier features a "cozy" pixel art style similar to that of Stardew Valley, but Barone says it will have more "dark and mysterious" vibes than his previous title.[2]
Haunted Chocolatier and Stardew Valley share a similar pixel art style[2] and are expected to share some connection.[5] Whereas Stardew Valley focused on the “fundamentals of human sustenance and existence,” Barone's new title represents a shift in tone "into the realm of the ethereal, and the creative, and you might even say, luxury.”[6]Haunted Chocolatier has a different aesthetic, with a haunted castle and ghosts, but Barone wanted the game to be "uplifting and life-affirming" and does not consider the subject matter to be negative.[3]
On October 3, 2023, Barone uploaded several images of Haunted Chocolatier to X (formerly known as Twitter) in honor of reaching one million followers on the platform.[7] In December 2024, he stated that development of the game was still ongoing, though it had been paused in 2024 as he worked on a major Stardew Valley update.[8]
As of March2026,[update] no release date for the game has been publicly announced. [3] While work continues on Stardew Valley's upcoming 1.7 major update, on September 2, 2025, he confirmed in an announcement that this will only slow down his new game's development "a little, but not as much as you might think." Since he has brought on an additional team to focus on Stardew Valley as of the game's 1.3 update, he has been able to dedicate the majority of his time and efforts to Haunted Chocolatier.[9]
Barone, who is self-publishing the title, says he intends to bring the game to multiple platforms, but has not committed to any specific platforms besides PC.[1]
References
12"F.A.Q."ConcernedApe's Haunted Chocolatier. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
