With the release of Stardew Valley’s update 1.6 and 1.6.9 on PC, creator Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone is reflecting on the game’s future. Despite having a new project, Haunted Chocolatier, he admits he can’t fully leave Stardew Valley behind. Even with his plans to eventually shift focus to Haunted Chocolatier, Barone continues to invest his energy into expanding Stardew Valley, nearly a decade after its initial release.
In a recent interview with Nintendo Life, Barone shared his deep attachment to Stardew Valley and explained why he finds it so challenging to move on. He has numerous ideas for expanding the game, feeling that there’s always room to improve, enhance, and add to its content. This creative flow keeps him engaged, sparking his desire to keep pushing out updates for players who are just as devoted to the game as he is.
Barone also attributes his ongoing commitment to Stardew Valley to the game’s vibrant and loyal community. He finds joy in engaging with fans through updates, seeing it as a unique opportunity to create experiences for a large and passionate audience. This interactive process, he says, fuels his drive to keep Stardew Valley “alive and fresh” by constantly adding new elements to entertain and delight his audience.
He acknowledges, however, the difficulty of balancing his time between Stardew Valley and his other projects. Although he has a desire to bring Haunted Chocolatier to life, he admits that he has not worked on it in a long time due to his commitment to Stardew Valley’s updates. Stardew remains a significant platform for him to share his creativity, and he doesn’t want to let the game “fizzle out.”
In line with past statements, Barone has previously said he feels he could “keep working on the game forever.” This sentiment still holds as he finds deep fulfillment in expanding the world of Stardew Valley indefinitely. While fans are thrilled to see his dedication to Stardew, many are also hopeful that he will eventually shift focus back to Haunted Chocolatier and bring that project to fruition.
