Graveyard Keeper 2 Nears $3 Million in Steam Preorders Ahead of Launch

Graveyard Keeper 2 appears to be heading into release with unusually strong momentum for an indie simulation game. Ahead of its September 22 launch, the sequel has generated close to $3 million in Steam preorder revenue while attracting more than one million wishlists.

The game has recorded roughly 147,000 total preorders, according to figures shared by its publisher. Earlier data placed gross preorder revenue above $2.5 million, but the total was approaching $3 million shortly before the preorder period ended.

Those numbers give the publisher confidence that Graveyard Keeper 2 could see a particularly busy launch. Its recently released demo has also attracted around 22,000 concurrent players, providing another indication that interest has moved beyond wishlists into active engagement.

Progress earned in the demo will transfer into the full release, which could encourage players already experimenting with the game to continue immediately once the complete version becomes available.

Eight Years Have Helped Build a Large Audience

Graveyard Keeper 2 arrives eight years after the original game launched in 2018. During that time, the first Graveyard Keeper continued receiving downloadable content and updates while expanding to several platforms.

The original game has reached more than 42,000 concurrent players on Steam at its peak. Its overall audience is larger because the game is also available on consoles, including Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.

That established player base gives the sequel an advantage compared with a completely new indie property.

There is also some evidence that a significant portion of wishlist interest has already converted into purchases. One set of figures indicated that approximately 109,000 wishlist additions had converted into preorders, although the total preorder count was higher because not every purchase originated from a wishlist.

Graveyard Keeper 2 Keeps Its Dark Life Sim Identity

The series uses the familiar structure of farming and life simulation games but gives it a darker setting. Instead of managing a traditional farm, you maintain a graveyard while dealing with supernatural characters, corpses, zombies and other unusual problems.

That combination helped the first game distinguish itself from the growing number of cozy management games inspired by titles such as Stardew Valley.

The timing of the sequel could also work in its favor. Graveyard Keeper 2 is arriving shortly before the Halloween period, which fits its mixture of management mechanics and horror themed humor.

Strong preorder numbers do not guarantee that the final launch will sustain the same level of interest. Player reception, reviews and long term support will still determine how successfully the sequel performs after release.

For now, however, nearly $3 million in preorder revenue, more than one million wishlists and tens of thousands of demo players suggest Graveyard Keeper 2 has built a sizable audience before its first full day on sale.