Haunted Chocolatier is an action RPG built for Stardew Valley's mine-runners, says Eric Barone

Eric Barone has opened up about Haunted Chocolatier in a new GQ interview, describing it as an action RPG aimed squarely at the combat-focused corner of the Stardew Valley audience. The game has been in development for over five years since its October 2021 announcement, and still has no confirmed release date.

Barone calls Haunted Chocolatier "more of an action RPG" while still fitting into what he describes as "a town game." The focus shifts toward adventuring, gear hunting, and character progression — there are monsters and boss fights. "It's for the people in Stardew Valley that go into the mines," he said. The game is also shaping up to be bigger and creepier than Stardew Valley. Barone has "returned to isolation" to push toward the finish line, and on the game's official website he regularly reassures fans he's making solid progress while refusing to rush a release. "I won't compromise on the quality of the game by rushing it or releasing it too early," he wrote.

Stardew Valley launched in 2016 after Barone spent roughly four and a half years building it solo, and it went on to sell tens of millions of copies — making Haunted Chocolatier one of the most anticipated indie follow-ups in recent memory. The pressure isn't lost on him. "Everyone's watching me, and if I don't do things a certain way, it might disappoint millions of people," Barone told GQ, adding that he wants to recapture the feeling he had while making Stardew Valley.

As for timing, Barone said in 2025 that he "hoped" the game would arrive within the next five years — so the window is somewhere before 2030. Not exactly a tight deadline, but given the scope he's describing, fans seem willing to wait.