After Stardew Valley exploded in popularity, fans of the game were patiently waiting to see what solo indie developer Eric Barone (ConcernedApe) was going to do next and he didn't disappoint with yesterday's reveal of Haunted Chocolatier. While the announcement was surely exciting, Barone also revealed that the chocolatier simulator isn't the only project that he's working on.
According to the FAQ on Haunted Chocolatier's website, the game has been in development for over a year while Barone worked on it on weekends and afternoons when not working on Stardew Valley. The developer makes a point to say, however, that the game isn't the "first or only 'new project'" that he's working on, but believes that Haunted Chocolatier will be the one that's finished first.
Barone doesn't explain anything about the other project or projects that he's currently working on outside of Haunted Chocolatier, but as there's so much new information about the newly revealed title, fans seem to have been satisfied. Based on the fact that he said that Haunted Chocolatier was announced first as it'll be the first one done, it seems like Barone might not have much else to say about his other unannounced projects until they're in a place similar to Haunted Chocolatier in terms of completion.
Unfortunately, there isn't a release date for Haunted Chocolatier just yet as the trailer simply says that the game is in development. The FAQ addresses a question about its release date saying that it's still "relatively early in development" and that Barone doesn't want to commit to a release date or an estimated release date so that he can "work in peace" without the pressure of meeting a deadline.
Stardew Valley was in development for four years before it was released, however, it wasn't being worked on full time as it started as a passion project for Barone while he worked other jobs. According to the FAQ, Haunted Chocolatier has been worked on as a side project since 2020, but now that it's been announced, it seems like its development is going to be in full swing, although that isn't confirmed.
The FAQ does clarify that, similar to the early years of Stardew Valley's development, Barone is the only person working on Haunted Chocolatier and he plans to keep it that way until it gets later in the process. The other unannounced projects are likely also solo projects as that seems to be Barone's development process in the early days of his projects.
Haunted Chocolatier is in development.
Source: Haunted Chocolatier FAQ