Stardew Valley dev posts another look at next game Haunted Chocolatier, sparks immediate fan theories
Is it Grandpa?
Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone - better known as ConcernedApe - has been quietly working away on the follow-up to his wildly popular and beloved farming game since at least the end of 2021. Given that secrecy and Stardew’s enormous following, it’s perhaps little surprise that a single cryptic screenshot from Haunted Chocolatier has immediately sparked fervent theories about its possible connection to Barone’s previous game.
Barone posted a still shot of Haunted Chocolatier to Twitter/X with no more detail than the accompanying text “here's a haunted chocolatier screne [sic]”. The screenshot shows the presumed player character speaking to an elderly man in bed, who utters “...I was just having the most terrible dream.” Scattered around the room are piles of books.
While the character in the screenshot is anonymous - identified only as ??? in the dialogue box - the white-bearded man's appearance and clothing immediately brought a familiar face to mind for some fans: Grandpa, who gifts the player character their farm at the beginning of Stardew Valley.
One response proposed that Haunted Chocolatier is a prequel to Stardew Valley, with the then-living grandpa having both farms and chocolate shops to hand out to his family members.
Others suggested that Haunted Chocolatier takes place in an alternative universe, or that the Grandpa’s rousing in bed from a dream (if it is Grandpa) represents his waking in the afterlife - something that the “Haunted” part of the title might imply alongside the spooky presence of ghosts in the chocolate shop.
“The ghosts represent the imprint of the past. All of these things are important. However, don't think for a moment that, because this game features ghosts in a haunted castle, it is an evil or negative game,” Barone wrote in Haunted Chocolatier’s original announcement. “On the contrary, I intend for this game to be positive, uplifting and life-affirming. However, if Stardew Valley mostly channeled the energy of the sun, Haunted Chocolatier channels the energy of the moon.”
While Barone has said that Haunted Chocolatier isn’t a direct sequel to Stardew Valley and will differ in being more combat-focused, the dev previously confirmed that it will include some references to his previous game.
“I haven't decided how deep the connection will be exactly,” Barone wrote last June. “I want Haunted Chocolatier to have its own identity.”
The truth is that we have no idea whether the character really is Grandpa, or what that might say about Haunted Chocolatier’s connection to Stardew.
For Barone’s part, he seems content for Haunted Chocolatier to be ready when it’s ready, confirming that Stardew’s 1.6 update remains his priority.
“all I ask for is patience, I don't want any pressure,” Barone responded to one fan, telling another that he “just felt like” sharing a look at Haunted Chocolatier.
“there's plenty more that I haven't revealed, I just like to work in secret mainly,” the dev told another.