Haunted Chocolatier has been announced by Stardew Valley developer Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone. The developer's previous release, which launched back in 2016, is a simulation RPG where players tend to a farm and interact with their surrounding neighbors. After about a decade of development, ConcernedApe recently expressed that updates to Stardew Valley may be finished.

Despite being ConcernedApe's first-ever video game release, which he developed independently, Stardew Valley was quite successful upon release. The farming sim game takes a distinctly laidback approach, immersing players into the small cozy atmosphere of Pelican Town. While building and managing the farm lies at the core of Stardew Valley, interacting with non-player characters elevates the player's immersion into the world and provides a great deal of variety. Stardew Valley was recently added to Xbox Game Pass, giving an entirely new audience of gamers a chance to experience the relaxing role-playing title.

Related: Stardew Valley's Legendary Fish (& Where They Are Caught)

Now, ConcernedApe has revealed a first look at Haunted Chocolatier, his second major video game project since Stardew Valley. The upcoming title looks to be a similar style of sim RPG, with players gathering ingredients to make chocolate and manage their chocolate shop. However, fantastical elements will also be at the forefront of its theming, including a haunted mansion filled with ghosts. Combat was also showcased in the trailer, as the player swings a stick to fight off birds and strange blob creatures. Haunted Chocolatier is still in development, with no release date yet specified.

While the game is more than five years old, Stardew Valley maintains a strong presence in players' hearts and minds. The farming sim's calm atmosphere and emphasis on player choice make it an immersive and relaxing experience for both long-time fans and new players. The game is not always so calm, however, as recently ConcernedApe held a Stardew Valley tournament which rewarded winners a prize of over $40,000. It remains to be seen whether or not Haunted Chocolatier will carry on its predecessor's calmness or be flexible enough in its gameplay to potentially be played competitively in its own hypothetical event, but the reveal trailer certainly revealed the title's visual similarities.

Stardew Valley is very highly regarded indie title, and Haunted Chocolatier looks to follow closely in the footsteps of its predecessor - at least in terms of the assets and tone shown so far. The games' pixel art styles and RPG gameplay look quite similar, but ConcernedApe's new title will put greater emphasis on the supernatural. Managing a chocolate shop and battling against ghosts may seem like an odd combination, but the project seems to blend the two elements tactfully. While the game may not release for some time, Haunted Chocolatier could ultimately prove to be a worthy successor to Stardew Valley.

Next: How to Unlock the Pirate Cove in Stardew Valley

Sources: ConcernedApe/YouTube, Haunted Chocolatier