Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone, known as ConcernedApe, has given fans a brief update on his long-awaited follow-up title, Haunted Chocolatier, via a blog post on 30 August. The game has been in development since 2020 with no release date in sight, but Barone reassured fans he remains unhurried and content with its progress, reflecting the unusually patient relationship between the developer and his devoted community.

In the post, Barone repeated his familiar stance that he would rather take his time than compromise quality, adding that he does not "stress too much" about the pace of development. He revealed he has been particularly enjoying playing the unfinished game following unspecified recent additions, though he gave no further detail on what these entail. He closed by thanking fans for their continued support, prompting an outpouring of encouraging comments urging him to take as long as he needs.