Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone, creator of Stardew Valley, has shared a screenshot from his next project, Haunted Chocolatier, that has fan theories on the crossover between the two titles going wild online.
In the Haunted Chocolatier screenshot shared to X (formerly Twitter), an elderly looking man is seen laying in bed in a room filled with books (and a pretty sick looking starry wallpaper), while another character (presumably a player character) stands next to him. A dialogue box accompanies the scene (with a closer look at the old man’s face) as he says, “…I was just having the most terrible dream.”
While there’s not much else to the screenshot – even the character’s name is listed only as “???” – the old man does bear a striking resemblance to another sleepy elderly man; Stardew Valley’s Grandpa.
Grandpa begins Stardew Valley, gifting the player (his grandchild) the farm on which the entire game occurs in a letter. He’s also seen in the game’s opening fast asleep (or on his deathbed – we’re choosing to view it as just napping) in his bed clutching the letter, decked out in a green sleeping outfit and night cap – and it’s this scene that has fans drawing connections between the two old men.
While there are some differences between the two old men, the similarities between the contexts in which they’re shown, their age, appearance, and penchant for a good sleep seem to have struck Stardew Valley fans – who have taken to the internet to theorise whether there is a broader connection between Haunted Chocolatier’s world and story and that of the classic farming sim.
One fan replied to ConcernedApe’s tweet, saying, “Oh my god in another universe Grandpa is alive and well and has a nice bed. I’m so excited for Haunted Chocolatier!!!” Others also noticed the similarities and had their own theories on how the two games could be linked.
Some fans suggested the dream that Haunted Chocolatier’s thus far unnamed old man mentions could in fact be Stardew Valley, while others theorise that this could be one of Grandpa’s siblings. Despite fans getting deep into analysing the single screenshot, Barone has not confirmed any crossover himself, and it is possible that there’s just another old man who really likes to lay in bed (he’s so me for real).
Haunted Chocolatier is still in the works, although Barone has yet to say much more on the upcoming title beyond confirming it will be a different story from Stardew Valley. So far, it’s been confirmed for PC only with no set release date as of yet – but given the level of hype for the title after the ongoing success of Barone’s last game, there’s some pretty big boots to fill.
Based on the glimpses we’ve seen so far, it’s definitely leaning towards more spooky (but still cute) vibes – and we’re likely to hear more as the creator continues to chip away at the project (and perhaps find out more about whether Grandpa will cameo in the game with a much better bed than his Stardew Valley counterpart).
Lead Image Credit: ConcernedApe
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