ConcernedApe ‘loves’ idea of Stardew Valley 2 & even briefly worked on it

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Eric Barone, known as ConcernedApe, originally started developing a proper sequel to Stardew Valley – Stardew Valley 2 – before deciding to work on Haunted Chocolatier. He’s now shared some of his initial ideas for the sequel.

It’s been ten years since the original release of Stardew Valley, and its creator, ConcernedApe, is still deeply involved. The relaxing farming game has become incredibly popular, selling tens of millions of copies and earning the title of the highest-rated game on Steam.

The developer, now collaborating with a bigger team, is continuing to create new content. He recently shared a preview of what’s coming in the 1.7 update. However, many are wondering if he’ll eventually shift focus and start working on a complete sequel instead.

He’s previously hinted at being interested in making a sequel to Stardew Valley, but it hasn’t progressed much because he’s been focused on his new game, Haunted Chocolatier. Now, we’ve learned he actually did begin working on Stardew Valley 2 and has been brainstorming ideas for it.

ConcernedApe teases ideas for Stardew Valley 2

The creator of Stardew Valley hinted in May 2025 that he might make a sequel, and now he’s confirmed he’s still considering it. He’s reiterated that he’d like to eventually release a full-fledged follow-up game.

In an interview with IGN on February 3, 2026, the creator of Stardew Valley, ConcernedApe, said he would be open to making a sequel instead of simply continuing to update the existing game. When asked directly about the possibility, he replied, “Yeah, I would.”

I’d really enjoy that! It would be a lot of fun to create new characters and a new world, and maybe recapture the same excitement I felt when I first started working on Stardew Valley back in 2012.

The appeal of a sequel lies in its ability to take familiar gameplay and introduce it to a fresh setting. He expressed his enthusiasm for the idea, saying it would be enjoyable for both him and his team, and they would be very eager to work on it.

I’m really excited for ConcernedApe’s next project, but it looks like we’re going to be waiting a while! He’s currently deep into developing Haunted Chocolatier, and he’s been working on it for years. He’s even said it’s almost like the sequel to Stardew Valley he originally imagined, which is a huge undertaking. It’s different, but still feels like that same creative spirit, so it’s going to be amazing… eventually!

Another challenge is that players really love the current game and its characters. It’s hard to imagine moving to a completely different setting with a new group of people when fans are so connected to what already exists.

“I do fear a little bit… people might feel put off by that,” he said.

When considering a sequel to Stardew Valley, one option would be to reuse the original characters in a new story. However, I’m hesitant because that might not feel fresh enough. It’s something I’d need to carefully consider.

So, it sounds like ConcernedApe has been thinking about a sequel for a while now! He actually mentioned he even hit a roadblock while trying to figure things out – he got stuck on one of his ideas, which is pretty interesting to hear.

I did begin working on a sequel to Stardew Valley at one point,” he said. “However, I eventually shifted my focus to Haunted Chocolatier for a number of different reasons.

I’m really curious about what happened to all those early Haunted Chocolatier prototypes! It makes me wonder… if Haunted Chocolatier does well, maybe ConcernedApe will eventually go back and look at those old ideas to start working on a sequel to Stardew Valley? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens, but a girl can dream, right?

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2026-02-04 03:19