“It Might Disappoint Millions of People” – ConcernedApe Says He Is “struggling” to make Haunted Chocolatier Because Stardew Valley Set Such a High Bar

Eric Barone, better known as ConcernedApe, has opened up about the pressure of developing Haunted Chocolatier, his long-awaited follow-up to Stardew Valley. In an interview with GQ, published on October 12, 2026, the indie developer explained that the expectations surrounding his next game have made it difficult to recreate the creative freedom he experienced while building his original farming simulator. Barone admitted that he is struggling with the change in circumstances. When he started working on Stardew Valley, he had…