Stardew Valley 1.6 Update & Haunted Chocolatier: Complete Guide

Stardew Valley’s massive 1.6 update has finally landed on all platforms, bringing game-changing features like the Mastery System and a brand-new farm layout. Console and mobile players can now join the fun after months of waiting. Here’s everything you need to know about the latest content—and a first look at ConcernedApe’s next project, Haunted Chocolatier.

Stardew Valley 1.6 Update Highlights

The long-awaited 1.6 patch for Stardew Valley brings a wealth of fresh content and quality-of-life tweaks. It launched on PC on March 19, 2024, with console and mobile ports arriving May 1, 2024.

New Gameplay Features

• Mastery System: Unlock permanent perks after maxing out every skill.
• New Farm Layout: Meadowlands Farm starts you with extra animals and a coop.
• Advanced Crafting: 40+ new recipes, including auto-petters and mini-shipping bins.
• Festival Overhauls: Expanded Desert Festival with new mini-games and prizes.

Balance & Accessibility

Combat now scales more smoothly in late-game mines. You can also enable one-button fishing or auto-attack for accessibility. Villagers react to gifts with new dialogue lines, making relationships feel deeper.

Haunted Chocolatier First Details

Haunted Chocolatier is the upcoming single-player RPG from the creator of Stardew Valley. It trades farming for confectionery, casting you as a chocolatier in a haunted castle town.

Core Loop & Systems

• Ingredient Gathering: Explore haunted forests and snowy peaks for rare cacao.
• Ghostly Staff: Recruit spirits to run your shop while you adventure.
• Combat Focus: Real-time battles replace Stardew’s light combat, featuring a shield-parry mechanic.
• Release Window: No firm date; the dev blog states it’s “still early in development.”

Stardew Valley 1.6 delivers the deepest endgame progression yet while making daily farm life smoother than ever. With 40+ new recipes, accessibility options, and expanded festivals, there’s plenty to sink into. Haunted Chocolatier remains a tantalizing mystery—keep an eye on the dev blog for future updates.