Stardew Valley Surprise Update Has One Major Catch

Stardew Valley gets a surprise update, but there might be a major catch which will disappoint some fans.

Considering that Stardew Valley was originally released in 2016, it’s a testament that it’s still going strong today, and despite initially consisting of one developer at the indie studio, ConcernedApe (Eric Barone), it’s been supported with a wealth of content updates.

“You've inherited your grandfather's old farm plot in Stardew Valley,” reads the synopsis of the game. “Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, you set out to begin your new life. Can you learn to live off the land and turn these overgrown fields into a thriving home?”

Whether it’s visual or performance improvements, new story missions and charming NPCs, Stardew Valley is the gift that keeps on giving, as indicated by its upcoming free update.

To be honest, it’s a good thing that Stardew Valley is being constantly supported, because we need something to keep us busy until the next game from ConcernedApe arrives, Haunted Chocolatier.

Yet, despite being announced in October 2021, Haunted Chocolatier still does not have a release date. But as they say, “good things come to those who wait” and “patience is a virtue”, if you believe all that malarky.

However, as reported by PCGamesN, we may have to wait a little longer for Haunted Chocolatier following the arrival of its next update for Stardew Valley.

At the time of writing, update 1.7 does not have a release date, but hopefully it will arrive sooner rather than later.

Okay, I revealed this at the concert last night and now the cat's out of the bag, so I will confirm for everyone: There will be a Stardew Valley 1.7 update. No release date, no estimate. But it's happening pic.twitter.com/RnNgc3ERER

— ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) August 30, 2025

Despite starting as a solo developer on Stardew Valley, Eric Barone now has a small team that helps work on updates. But he currently remains the solo developer of Haunted Chocolatier.

With the pending arrival of update 1.7 for Stardew Valley, it means that Haunted Chocolatier will be delayed “a little, but not as much as you might think,” said Barone.

That being said, even with Haunted Chocolatier being delayed “a little”, it’s still a game that never had a release date to begin with. But it’s more important that Haunted Chocolatier has all the time it needs to be the best game it can be.

I think it’s safe to assume that Haunted Chocolatier won't be released this year, and the best we can hope for is sometime in 2026, if we’re lucky. We’ll keep you posted when we learn more.

It’s a good job that Stardew Valley remains so fun to play today.