As the driving antagonistic force in Stardew Valley, Joja Corporation could make its way into ConcerndApe’s next game, Haunted Chocolatier. The twisted corporation leads Stardew Valley players to essentially determine the fate of Pelican Town. While Joja Corporation has not been confirmed for Haunted Chocolatier, the possibilities unlocked if the corporation is included are endless, especially if ConcernedApe looks to one iconic property for inspiration.
In the same vein as Stardew Valley, Haunted Chocolatier will be a simulation game, but it will also include action role-playing gameplay. Players will not only run their own confectionary store, combat will be involved at some point with weapons and shields confirmed as features. Interactions with romanceable and non-romanceable NPCs have also been confirmed for ConcernedApe’s next title. Though development on Haunted Chocolatier has been slow, ConcernedApe confirmed as recently as December 2024 that the game is still in development.
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Why Joja Corporation Would Be a Great Addition to Haunted Chocolatier
Adding Joja Corporation to Haunted Chocolatier may seem weird at first, but the opportunities the addition would introduce to the developing simulation game are incredible. Not only could Joja Corporation tie Haunted Chocolatier into the same world as Stardew Valley, but it could also lead players to make distinct choices.
In Stardew Valley, players have the choice of whether they want to buy into Joja Corp or save Pelican Town’s community center. Joja Corporation turning the Community Center into a Joja Warehouse has clear ramifications for Pelican Town. If the corporation is included in Haunted Chocolatier, players could face a similar choice, this time with their confectionary as the building in question.
While Joja Corporation does not necessarily need to be the name of the antagonistic corporate force in Haunted Chocolatier, having an outside force in addition to the supernatural creatures that have been confirmed for the game could lead to further plot development. This corporate force would also be the perfect gateway for Haunted Chocolatier to lean into the zanier aspects of confection-making. After all, the most famous chocolate factory in pop culture is controversial both in its source material and in real life.
Haunted Chocolatier’s Joja Corporation Has an Obvious Inspiration
Simply put, Joja Corporation could have its very own version of Willy Wonka’s eccentric chocolate factory. Perhaps the company attempts to buy out the player’s new confectionary shop. When denied, the ghosts of the Joja Corporation’s chocolate factory attempt to haunt the player out of their shop. The ghosts in Haunted Chocolatier could essentially act as Joja Corp’s version of Willy Wonka’s Oompa-Loompas. Fighting against these ghosts would introduce the action role-playing elements confirmed for Haunted Chocolatier already.
Images released by ConcernedApe of Haunted Chocolatier show confectionary gameplay and various recipes. While these sweets seem to be simple, everyday chocolate, Haunted Chocolatier could once again take inspiration from Willy Wonka by making these sweets wackier. After all, Joja Corp would need a reason to want to purchase the player’s confectionary store. Perhaps the player is a world-class chocolatier, creating confections similar to Willy Wonka that can make people fly, act as a meal, or last forever. ConcernedApe would obviously have to be creative and come up with his own confections, but it would be a good motive for Joja Corporation’s attempt at a buyout.
Another reason for this buyout attempt could be the confectionary store’s location. It does not seem like the chocolate shop in Haunted Chocolatier is in Pelican Town, as images of the game seem to be in a forest region. Since the confectionary store seems to be in a different, unestablished location, ConcernedApe could easily show Joja Corp attempting to expand into a new region. Perhaps Haunted Chocolatier’s setting has long been haunted, not just the chocolate shop itself. Though Joja Corporation has not been confirmed for ConcernedApe’s next title, this crucial aspect of Stardew Valley could lead to wacky hijinks in Haunted Chocolatier.
