The latest project from Microsoft's Double Fine Productions subsidiary, the surrealist exploration game Keeper is struggling to get out of the starting gate, with fewer than 200 active players on Steam just a day after launch. Despite relatively positive reviews across the board, with many applauding its gorgeous visuals and surrealist world building, Keeper seemingly has yet to catch the attention of general audiences.
Keeper sees players taking on the role of a sentient lighthouse, guided by an adorable avian friend, as they set out on an adventure of discovery through a vibrant post-apocalyptic world. Many early reviews have appreciated the curious companionship between the two main characters and the unspoken central story of Keeper. However, the game may be a bit too out-of-the-box for the average player, with early interest falling below expectations.
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Keeper Steam Player Counts
According to analytics from SteamDB, Keeper has only managed to hit a peak concurrent player count of 191 users on Steam, at the time of writing. For a game published directly by Xbox Game Studios, this number is catching early flack from audiences, who now question why player counts are so low in spite of positive reviews. Some have pointed to recently released games like Ghost of Yotei and Battlefield 6 as having potentially stolen the spotlight from the simpler lighthouse walking sim, and others have questioned if Keeper should have received more official promotion from Xbox to help draw attention to the quaint title.
So-called walking simulators often have a smaller reach among players, though notable games like What Remains of Edith Finch and The Stanley Parable managed to cement a legacy for themselves with heartfelt storytelling and surrealist humor, respectively. While player counts are not necessarily the "be all, end all" of gaming, they can greatly impact any potential for future releases from the same teams and whether projects under similar genres will be approved by the publisher. It remains to be seen if the limited positive reviews for Keeper will help to bolster word-of-mouth interest, though select fans are hoping to see increased support for the unsung game.
The sheer quantity of games releasing in 2025 has already led to some studios choosing to delay their projects until 2026, and more than a few titles have been lost in the almost constant wave of launches. Despite notable charms and sincere support from select players, it would seem Keeper has simply struggled to make a big impact early on, though it is unknown if this will change in time.
Keeper
- Released
- October 17, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, Animated Blood
- Developer(s)
- Double Fine
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
- Number of Players
- Single-player
