ConcernedApe Is "Still Grinding" Away At The Long-Awaited Haunted Chocolatier

ConcernedApe has shared a brief development update on Haunted Chocolatier, noting that he's "still grinding" away at it and knows that many of its systems need to be "perfect".

From the moment Haunted Chocolatier was announced by Stardew Valley creator ConcernedApe all the way back in the tail end of 2021, it instantly became one of the most anticipated indie games on the horizon. Now, nearly five whole years later, it still remains on the horizon, with no set release window outside of "when it's ready".

One of the main reasons Haunted Chocolatier is taking so long is that ConcernedApe regularly goes back to Stardew Valley for massive updates that end up taking a lot of time. Despite what people like to say, that's obviously not the only reason that Haunted Chocolatier is taking a while, as ConcernedApe has detailed in a new development update blog.

Haunted Chocolatier Is Taking So Long Because ConcernedApe "Tortures" Himself Over Every Detail

"This Is What It Will Take To Make A Game I’m Satisfied With"

In a new blog post titled "Still here, still grinding", ConcernedApe, real name Eric Barone, noted that he's "still working on the game" and feels "kinda dumb" saying the same thing over and over again. Barone notes that he's aware the game is taking a long time, but that it's largely because he needs to be "very thoughtful about every aspect", since he knows they need to be "perfect".

What Do You Actually Want From Haunted Chocolatier?

We know nothing about it, so where does the anticipation come from?

As an example, ConcernedApe shares that he's revisited the game's recipe book for making chocolate, something that he's already iterated on multiple times and has been "torturing" himself over. Again, the word "perfect" comes up, with Barone noting that he knows that it needs to hit a sweet spot of being intuitive, not overwhelming, and not trivial.

It's pretty clear that ConcernedApe is putting a lot of pressure on himself to make sure that everything in Haunted Chocolatier doesn't just comfort the player, but "delights" them, which requires a lot of iteration and work. Combine that with Haunted Choc being a "big game", and that means there are plenty of things to look over in this much detail.

I don’t like to share too many screenshots, or even talk about the systems in too much detail, while the game is in development. Partly, it feels like I’m serving a half-baked bread. I would rather serve a fully baked bread. - ConcernedApe

As common as it's become to joke about how long Haunted Chocolatier is taking, ConcernedApe's post really does make it clear how hard he works on his games, and how special he wants Stardew Valley's follow-up to be. The long development is what it takes "to make a game I'm satisfied with", and I'm sure we all will be whenever it's ready.

Haunted Chocolatier

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