Highlights
- Stardew Valley fans are speculating that Haunted Chocolatier may be connected to the popular game, as it shares a similar graphical style and could be located in the same universe.
- A screenshot from Haunted Chocolatier featuring an old man resembling Stardew Valley's grandpa has sparked speculation that the upcoming game may be a prequel to Stardew Valley.
- While details about Haunted Chocolatier remain scarce, players can expect both games to be connected in some way, as ConcernedApe has mentioned.
Since the news that Stardew Valley's developer ConcernedApe is developing a new game called Haunted Chocolatier, fans have been wildly speculating what the game could be about and whether it has connections to ConcernedApe's 2016 hit. It is no secret that ConcernedApe's Stardew Valley became one of the industry's best success stories, and it is interesting to see what ConcernedApe has in store with Haunted Chocolatier. However, based on fan feedback from everything shown so far, the game appears to be heading in the right direction.
Unfortunately for fans who have waited years for answers to their questions, ConcernedApe has been highly secretive about Haunted Chocolatier details, apart from one crucial piece of information. Previously, ConcernedApe teased that Haunted Chocolatier and Stardew Valley would be connected somehow, and recent screenshots of the upcoming game seem to suggest that it may even share the same universe as Stardew Valley.
Stardew Valley and Haunted Chocolatier May Be Located On Opposite Sides of the Same Mountain Range
One of the most apparent similarities between Stardew Valley and Haunted Chocolatier that players will immediately notice is the similar graphical style of both games. Of course, given that much of Stardew Valley's popularity stems from its nostalgic and old-school graphics, it is unsurprising that ConcernedApe is utilizing the same game design for Haunted Chocolatier. However, eagle-eyed fans spotted that one of the screenshots released by ConcenedApe for Haunted Chocolatier suggests that the upcoming game's location may be on the other side of the mountain range in which Stardew Valley's Pelican Town is located.
Given the graphical style of Stardew Valley and Haunted Chocolatier, it is possible that ConcernedApe only has a limited variety of ways to illustrate mountain ranges, so the similarity may be a coincidence. As expected, ConcernedApe remains tight-lipped regarding this speculation, which is unsurprising given that sharing little about the game's development and allowing fans to speculate on their own has been beneficial to Haunted Chocolatier. It is worth remembering that before Haunted Chocolatier's announcement, the developer mentioned that it is working on projects set in the Stardew Valley universe. If this is the case, it is exciting to see whether ConcernedApe plans to introduce gameplay features that link Haunted Chocolatier to Stardew Valley, such as appearances from Pelican Town villagers and being able to pursue a romantic relationship with them.
Haunted Chocolatier Could Be A Prequel to Stardew Valley
One of the most significant clues that Haunted Chocolatier and Stardew Valley are set in the same universe is from an in-game screenshot posted by ConcernedApe on social media. The screenshot shows an older man in his bedroom, and Stardew Valley fans quickly pointed out that the old man looks eerily similar to Stardew Valley's grandpa. To the uninitiated, the opening scene of Stardew Valley shows the player's grandpa in the late stage of his life, writing a letter stating his wish for the player to inherit his farm and revive it to its former glory. While the newest screenshot posted by ConcernedApe only showed a brief dialogue spoken by the mysterious old man that reads, "I was just having the most terrible dream.", it did not provide any context as to who the old man is and what role he will play in Haunted Chocolatier.
It is worth pointing out that the release of this particular screenshot from Haunted Chocolatier, unaccompanied by any other images from the upcoming game, may hint at ConcernedApe's intention to highlight the significance of the scene and spark fire to speculation that the old man in Haunted Chocolatier might indeed be the same as Stardew Valley's grandpa.
If the old man in the latest screenshot is indeed the same grandpa from Stardew Valley, this not only strengthens the case that both games exist in the same universe, but also suggests that Haunted Chocolatier might be a prequel to Stardew Valley. Fans would remember that after Stardew Valley's opening scene, the grandpa passed away, leaving the farm in the hands of the grandchild. Given that the screenshot depicts the old man as very much alive, since he is still talking to an unknown character, Haunted Chocolatier's events likely precede Stardew Valley, or at the very least, both games start shortly before the old man dies.
While it remains to be seen whether Stardew Valley and Haunted Chocolatier share the same universe, players could expect both games to be connected somehow, as ConcernedApe mentioned. At the moment, it appears Haunted Chocolatier still has a long way to go, which means it may take some time for fans to get answers to their burning questions. Ultimately, it's important to remember that ConcernedApe devoted considerable time to developing Stardew Valley, and its eventual success indicates that the developer is similarly investing time and effort into Haunted Chocolatier.
Haunted Chocolatier
Haunted Chocolatier is an upcoming adventure game from Stardew Valley creator ConcernedApe (Eric Barone). The game is currently set to feature a lush explorable world, chocolate making and cooking, a spooky theme, and more. There is currently no release date or time period for the game.
