In a rare event, a simultaneous giveaway has just kicked off across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms, and it"s for Graveyard Keeper. This is a management experience inspired by titles like Stardew Valley developed by Lazy Bear Games that first released in 2018. Just as the first game goes free, the studio has also announced that Graveyard Keeper II is incoming later this year.
Beginning with the giveaway, the original Graveyard Keeper takes place in a medieval setting, one that"s described by the developer as the most "inaccurate medieval cemetery management sim of all time." You"ll be building and operating this graveyard while dealing with various "ethical dilemmas" and completing quests for the nearby village.
The Graveyard Keeper giveaway is happening on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation stores, with the promo slated to come to an end on April 13.
Next, we hop over to the sequel announcement that happened at the Triple-i Initiative 2026 showcase today. It looks like Graveyard Keeper 2 will be leaning even more into the fantasy aspects of the series, with zombie-based automation being introduced into the mix
"Build machinery, automate production, and lead your undead army into battle to save the Kingdom from the zombie apocalypse, crafting armour and training your intellectually-challenged troops to slash your way to victory," says Lazy Bear Games, describing the upcoming sequel. "Rebuild the Town, turning the townsfolks’ problems into pure profit, using zombie-based automation to create a large-scale operation."
There will still be graveyard management aspects, with players also needing to rebuild the town and bring back its residents to maximize their profits. The actual job role has changed a little though, as players will now be the Grand Inquisitor charged with saving the entire kingdom against an incoming zombie apocalypse.
Graveyard Keeper 2 is coming out on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2 systems sometime in 2026.