‘I just need to disappear, go into a cabin’: Eric Barone has found the answer to Haunted Chocolatier’s development distractions
Indie developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone has revealed his approach to managing development on Haunted Chocolatier while juggling other projects. In an interview with GameInformer, Barone explained that he dedicates five days a week to the highly anticipated game, which has been in development for nearly five years amid considerable fan anticipation.
Barone, best known for creating the massively successful Stardew Valley, is currently working on two games simultaneously. He acknowledged the challenge of context-switching between projects, stating “It’s kind of hard to switch gears sometimes, to be honest, but it’s just what I’ve got to do.” Despite the dual workload, he emphasized that Haunted Chocolatier is not consuming more of his time than Stardew Valley required.
To combat development distractions, Barone has adopted an interesting strategy, humorously noting that he “just needs to disappear, go into a cabin” to maintain focus. This comment reflects the challenge many indie developers face in staying productive while managing expectations around major releases.
While Barone has historically kept Haunted Chocolatier’s development largely under wraps, this interview provides rare insight into his working process. The five-day-per-week commitment suggests a structured approach to balancing his workload, though the exact nature of his other project remains unclear.