Stardew Valley will be receiving a 1.6 update, but this good news for the popular farming simulation game is bad news for fans looking forward to Haunted Chocolatier. Both of these games come from solo developer ConcernedApe, with Haunted Chocolatier taking a similar simulation approach and pixel style to the unique context of a ghost-operated confectionary store. The 1.6 update marks the newest addition to a long-line of post-launch revisions to Stardew Valley, ensuring that players who have been farming since the initial release have continually had new content to look forward to.
Stardew Valley originally released for PC in February 2016 following a four-year development cycle and quickly became a hit upon launch. Since then, the title has released across a variety of platforms and received a number of updates, with ConcernedApe enlisting some additional help to handle ports and localizations through publisher Chucklefish Games. Some post-launch changes for Stardew Valley have been minor tweaks and bug fixes, while others have brought significant new features to the table. One huge update came with the addition of multiplayer in Version 1.3. Most recently, Stardew Valley 1.5 brought that experience to local split-screen and added a variety of new options and crops.
Stardew Valley 1.6 Puts Haunted Chocolatier On Pause
ConcernedApe clarified plans for a Stardew Valley 1.6 update on Twitter, following up on previous mentions of a coming update to follow up the far-reaching changes of the Stardew Valley 1.5 update. The tweet describes the primary function of 1.6 as an update for modders, giving them easier access to “more powerful” tools.
The update will also add a smaller side of new game content, expanding Stardew Valley yet again in yet unrevealed ways. However, ConcernedApe establishes that these changes will take some time away from Haunted Chocolatier, the development of which will be put on pause while work on Stardew Valley 1.6 is completed.
What The Haunted Chocolatier Development Break Means
The need to take a hiatus from developing Haunted Chocolatier isn’t particularly surprising, considering one person can only do so much at once. It does, however, mean that fans anticipating the upcoming ConcernedApe title that builds on Stardew Valley’s foundation should push its yet unknown release date back a bit further in their mental calendars. With a couple of years of work currently behind Haunted Chocolatier, a similar schedule to Stardew Valley would mean that the game is likely no more than halfway through its development cycle. Accounting for the time that Stardew Valley 1.6 will take means that fans may not see the confectionary sim for several years yet.
Related: Haunted Chocolatier: Everything We Know So Far
One positive takeaway from the Stardew Valley 1.6 update for players anticipating Haunted Chocolatier is ConcernedApe’s continued dedication to his work, an investment that bodes well for the upcoming game. If Haunted Chocolatier receives a comparable amount of post-launch content to Stardew Valley, fans can expect the game to provide plenty of new fun beyond its eventual launch. In the meantime, fans of ConcernedApe’s work can continue to enjoy Stardew Valley, particularly with the addition of the new modding functions and general additions that will come in the planned Stardew Valley 1.6 update.
