ConcernedApe, the solo indie developer behind the popular social sim Stardew Valley, announced the title of his next game today with a surprise gameplay trailer.
Titled ConcernedApe’s Haunted Chocolatier, the project is in development and “isn’t going to be ready for a while still.” The trailer, which can be seen above, shows pixel artwork across a fantastical life and social sim setting. ConcernedApe describes the game as “another ‘town game,'” although the game has more action RPG elements than Stardew Valley.
The game’s official website includes more information on the upcoming game, its features, and what fans can expect when it releases in the future. “I intend for this game to be positive, uplifting and life-affirming,” ConcernedApe writes in a blog post. Noticeable differences already apparent include action RPG mechanics, the wintery setting, and, of course, the haunted chocolate ghosts. The developer shares that “the gameplay loop involves gathering ingredients, making chocolate, and running a chocolate shop.”
While it looks like it will still be a game for fans of the first game, this all sounds like more of a successor than a sequel. And that’s exciting, given what ConcernedApe did the last time he set out to make a wholly original game. Stardew Valley released in 2016 and was considered a game of the decade by the broad consensus that so many people were still playing it. And just last month, the game surpassed 15 million copies sold across all platforms.
That’s a lot of inherited farmland, and we’re excited to see where we’ll go next.
