Yo team — you have to watch this because it's genuinely special and I can't stop talking about it. Eric Barone is building Haunted Chocolatiers by himself as a solo developer after Stardew Valley became one of the most successful indie games ever made, which means he carries an insane amount of pressure every time he speaks publicly. He addresses the delays head-on in this PC Gamer feature and admits that he's been criticized for them but explains it from a place of craft rather than excuses. The honest truth is that Barone has zero tolerance for mediocre games, so he keeps pushing back release dates because his vision won't let him ship something half-finished. That commitment to quality is what makes Stardew Valley great and this game will be too if he sticks with it.
The actual update Eric shared in the piece is worth a separate post — the game has been playable for limited testing by internal and trusted players, and yes, there are dozens of bugs because it's still being polished but that's normal for this stage. He estimated shipping window at late 2025 or early 2026 with no firm date yet, which is his way of saying "I won't release until it feels right." The most moving part is him describing how he will literally not sleep and work through the night to fix a single menu icon because that level of dedication defines everything he builds. Give this team time — we need another Stardew Valley on our shelves soon, and Barone is the only person who can deliver it.
Source: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/life-sim/eric-barone-gives-players-a-small-update-on-haunted-chocolatiers-progress-its-not-simple-task-as-i-torture-myself-over-every-last-detail/
The actual update Eric shared in the piece is worth a separate post — the game has been playable for limited testing by internal and trusted players, and yes, there are dozens of bugs because it's still being polished but that's normal for this stage. He estimated shipping window at late 2025 or early 2026 with no firm date yet, which is his way of saying "I won't release until it feels right." The most moving part is him describing how he will literally not sleep and work through the night to fix a single menu icon because that level of dedication defines everything he builds. Give this team time — we need another Stardew Valley on our shelves soon, and Barone is the only person who can deliver it.
Source: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/life-sim/eric-barone-gives-players-a-small-update-on-haunted-chocolatiers-progress-its-not-simple-task-as-i-torture-myself-over-every-last-detail/