Concerned Ape is taking a break from Haunted Chocolatier to work on Stardew Valley’s next update

Fans have likely spent endless seasons in the comfort of Stardew Valley, and now the chill life sim is getting even bigger. Stardew Valley’s creator Eric Barone (otherwise known as ConcernedApe) is “taking a break” from working on his highly-anticipated Haunted Chocolatier. Barone will instead work on Stardew Valley’s upcoming 1.6 update, which focuses on improvements for modders, alongside some new content as well.

“There is going to be a Stardew 1.6 update,” Barone confirmed on Twitter. “It’s mostly changes for modders (which will make it easier & more powerful to mod),” he explained, before adding that “there is also new game content, albeit much less than 1.5.” Barone confirmed he’ll go back to developing Haunted Chocolatier after the 1.6 update.

That 1.5 update launched all the way back in the Dark Ages - aka December 2020 - and it added a substantial amount to Stardew, including a new beach farm, endgame content, local split-screen co-op, and more. Barone hasn’t detailed 1.6 yet, but he did say that “more dialogues” will be part of the additions.

I like Stardew Valley because it allows me to live out postmodern fantasies like: knowing your neighbours, growing your own food, and romancing people who won’t leave you. The only thing that breaks this magic, for me, is when you marry your favourite villager, ‘complete’ their story, and watch them turn into a generic NPC who repeats the same few lines of dialogue. Hopefully, the upcoming update gives them more to say.

When it comes to mods, Barone has been working with modders for years and it’s clearly an important part of future-proofing the game. Fans have created enough goodies to fill a barn, from a rideable tractor to an entirely new version of Stardew. You can find more in RPS’ list of the best mods - they’re all worth it.

After the 1.6 update, Barone will be back to haunting chocolates, or something to that effect. Haunted Chocolatier replaces the idyllic farm with a chocolate shop run by ghosts. Its lovely pixel art echoes the chill vibes of Stardew, but Barone says it’ll have a greater emphasis on combat this time around. Very exciting stuff.