Stardew Valley 'sequel' release date narrowed down, but we're still a way off

A resurgence of Stardew Valley has been felt across the internet, as thousands of cosy gamers settle in for another (or continued playthrough) of this treasured farming sim. Despite offering up new features and tweaks, seeing the game come back in such a spectacular way has many wondering how far off we are from the game’s “sequel”.

Haunted Chocolatier, while not a direct sequel to ConcernedApe’s Stardew Valley, still promises to deliver the same beautiful pixel-art worlds and intricate stories. The updates regarding its development have been few and far between, so we’d started to wonder what had become of this hotly anticipated sequel.

Just hearing that music again will have you ready to quit your job and start tending the land.

Fortunately, it’s still happening. Less fortunate, however, is the fact that it’s going to be quite some time before we see it launch. Like so many other video games we’re hyped for, this one is destined for a launch well into the future.

When a fan asked about the Haunted Chocolatier, ConcernedApe responded, “I am eager to get back to work on it. But I have to see Stardew 1.6 settled, bug-free and out to all platforms first.”

It makes sense that all the attention is focused on making sure this long-awaited Steam update is working as it should before ConcernedApe moves on to other things. Of course, ensuring that the update is out across all platforms does mean that the wait between now and Haunted Chocolatier’s launch has increased tenfold.

Being able to go and spend a day tending to our farms, a new black cat companion purring next to us, definitely makes up for the lack of chocolate and hauntings in our near futures. In truth, it’s likely few of us would be willing to tear ourselves away from the Stardew update, given how quickly it’s sucked us back in.