Graveyard Keeper is currently free on Steam, and the timing is no coincidence. Developer Lazy Bear Games has announced Graveyard Keeper 2, and to mark the occasion the original is temporarily available at zero cost, according to Destructoid.
If you've never played it, Graveyard Keeper is often compared to Stardew Valley in terms of its pixel art aesthetic and management sim loop - but the similarities stop there. Instead of tending crops and befriending townsfolk, you're running a medieval cemetery and dealing with all the grim logistics that come with it. It's a notably more hardcore experience than its cozy-game cousins.
What is Graveyard Keeper?
The game drops you into the role of a graveyard manager tasked with keeping a medieval burial ground in order. Think resource management and sim gameplay wrapped in a distinctly dark sense of humor. It carved out a solid niche among fans who wanted something with the structure of Stardew Valley but with a much more macabre edge.
The free promotion is clearly designed to pull in new players before the sequel launches - a smart move for building an audience around a franchise that might not have universal name recognition. Getting the original into more hands right before a sequel announcement is a proven strategy, and for players who've never taken the plunge, there's no better time.
What we know about Graveyard Keeper 2
Details on the sequel are still limited based on currently available information, but the announcement itself signals that Lazy Bear Games sees enough momentum in the IP to continue expanding it. Given how the original built its reputation on word-of-mouth among sim and management game fans, a sequel has been on the wishlist for a while.
If you're even remotely curious about the series, grabbing the original for free is a no-brainer. Just keep in mind the promotion is time-limited, so don't sleep on it. Head to Steam now to claim your copy before the window closes.
