Stardew Valley developer unveils Haunted Chocolatier

Stardew Valley creator’s next game is Haunted Chocolatier

Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone has revealed the first details on his next game, after spending 10 years developing indie smash hit Stardew Valley.

Haunted Chocolatier is about managing a chocolate shop inside a haunted castle, where players collect ingredients and make chocolate. It's looking like it will take a more fantastical approach on top of the familiar good-natured and cute gameplay we're fond of from Stardew Valley.

• The release date is still a long way off
• Haunted Chocolatier will be “positive, uplifting, and life-affirming”
• No platforms mentioned, although expect it to be widely available
• Early gameplay trailer reveals the fantastical setting

Barone: Barone doesn’t want to spill too many details for now but did mention that Chocolate, ghosts, and the haunted castle all play an important role. “Chocolate represents that which is delightful. The haunted castle represents the allure of the unknown. The ghosts represent the imprint of the past. All of these things are important.”

Development Stage: Don’t expect Haunted Chocolatier to be releasing soon, even if the gameplay trailer makes it seem fairly complete; “While the video I put together may look like the game is at an advanced stage of development, there is still a ton of stuff to do.” said Barone. “So, please understand that it will be a while before this game is done. I’m going to be working on it as much as I can, though.”

What Castlevania game introduced the franchise to Alucard?

a) Castlevania: Judgement
b) Castlevania 2: Simon’s Quest
c) Castlevania 3: Dracula’s Curse
d) Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

The answer will be revealed at the bottom of today's issue. Join up with our community on Twitter and Facebook to discuss what the answer could be.

Sony patent ‘spectator voting system’ to kick players from games, even for money

Sony thinks it's a great idea to turn audiences against gamers, and have patented a system that allows a ‘Spectators Vote to Bench Players in a Video Game’.

The patent was filed in January 2020 and was finally granted this week. The system allows spectators to simply vote on what player to remove from the match, and even send them messages warning them to “play better”.

Pay-to-kick: The patent also suggests that spectators could pay to have players removed from games, which obviously creates some pretty perverse incentives. The whole idea is pretty strange, and would clearly be open to exploitation in any competitive game.

Democracy: Votes would be collated and would need to reach a certain threshold before prompting a response, as explained by a diagram included with the patent. Let's hope Sony is just filing defensive patents to prevent anyone else from doing this, and that they are not planning to monetize booing.

GeForce Now streaming upgraded with new ‘SuperPod’ premier tier service

Nvidia is beefing up the GeForce Now streaming service with next-generation cloud servers called SuperPods, which deliver RTX 3080-class performance.

The new premium servers are available at £89.99 / €89.99 / $89.99 for a six month subscription, which seems pretty reasonable for access to hardware that would otherwise cost thousands.

Frames & lag: Nvidia boasts that its new premium service can deliver 120Hz gameplay if your monitor supports it, as well as super-low latency rates thanks to their nwe Adaptive Sync technology.

Cloud warfare: If Nvidia's stats hold up to scrutiny, that means GeForce Now offers around four times more power than Microsoft's xCloud. The RTX 3080 subscription tier launches on November 21st and offers early access to pre-orders for current subscribers.

Devolver, Lovers x Fighters and Dead by Daylight sales over at Humble Bundle

There is quite an eclectic mix of sales at Humble Bundle this week, starting with the Devolver Publisher Sale which offers up to 90% off, matched by the Lovers x Fighters Sale that also offers up to a 90% discount.

Then things get more appropriately spooky in the Dead by Daylight Sale which takes up to 60% off your favorite serial killer escapades. Finally, the Fighting Juggernauts Bundle dispenses justice and offers 7 classic beat-em-up titles for £8.91.

Toy Soldiers HD Giveaway

We have 10 keys for Toy Soldiers HD to give away: 5 for Xbox One and 5 for PlayStation 4, all for Accelerate Games' HD remaster.

Just enter our Toy Soldiers HD giveaway and share DailyBits with your friends and family for a chance to win!

• Halo Infinite has been purpose-built for PC and you can see a 9-minute showcase in the new PC Overview trailer
• The first trailer for Sony's Uncharted movie is out and reveals Tom Holland's turn as Nathan Drake as well as the release date: February 18th, 2022
• First Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters dev diary, part of a three-episode series
• Ubisoft’s Riders Republic is free to play between October 21st and 27th and progression carries over to the final game launching on October 28th
• Cyberpunk 2077 next-gen update delayed until the first quarter next year while The Witcher 3 updates are delayed until the second quarter

What Castlevania game introduced the franchise to Alucard?

ANSWER: Castlevania 3: Dracula’s Curse!

While Alucard is more famous for his appearance in Symphony of the Night, he was first properly introduced in Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse. The third game in the series is notable for its branching progression structure, which lets you unlock different party members who can help you defeat Dracula.

If you want Alucard in your party, you should take the bottom path when you encounter the fork in the road on the forest level. The game also introduces Grant Danasty, who had significantly less of an impact on the rest of the series. Guess he just couldn't compete with the dhampir’s particular brand of sexy.

Today's issue of DailyBits was written by Gavin Herman, Erlend Grefsrud, Simon Priest, and Jamie Davey. If you have any feedback or news tips for the team, please email us!