Barone focuses on implementing multiplayer functionality into Stardew Valley, allowing players to collaborate and farm together with friends. This feature is highly anticipated by the community and significantly expands the game's replayability. He also works with other developers for console ports.

A major content update, version 1.5, is released for Stardew Valley, adding new regions, characters, and gameplay mechanics. This substantial update rejuvenates the player base and reinforces the game's status as a beloved title.

Barone announces his next project, Haunted Chocolatier, a new game that shares some visual similarities with Stardew Valley but features a different gameplay focus on managing a haunted chocolate shop. Development is ongoing, and no release date is set as of late 2023.

Eric Barone continues to work on Haunted Chocolatier while also engaging with the Stardew Valley community, providing updates and interacting with fans. He maintains a strong connection with his audience and values their input.