Indie game Spiritfarer hits all-time peak on Steam years after launch

Spiritfarer, a game about ferrying spirits to the afterlife, has suddenly hit an all-time peak on Steam. Could this be the Spring Sale or something more?

Matt Buckley

March 18, 2025 15:07

Source: Spiritfarer, Developer: Thunder Lotus Games

Just eight hours ago, Spiritfarer, an indie game nominated at the 2020 Game Awards, hit an all-time peak for concurrent players on Steam of eleven thousand, according to SteamDB. This comes in the midst of Steam’s Spring Sale, where the game is available for just $2.99, 90% off its full price. It makes sense that more players would jump in now that the game is on such a deep discount, but Spiritfarer also has incredible reviews. The game currently sits at 95% positive reviews on Steam out of over thirty-eight thousand total.

2020 indie game, Spiritfarer, reaches an all-time high concurrent player count on Steam

The start of the Steam sale caused Spiritfarer’s player count to nearly double its previous peak last year. If you aren’t familiar, Spiritfarer comes from developer Thunder Lotus Games (who also have the intriguing multiplayer game 33 Immortals out today), and is a story-rich management sim where you play as a ferrymaster for spirits to the afterlife. The Farwell Edition, currently the version on Steam, also includes three major content updates that have arrived since the game’s original launch back in August 2020.

Players can build their boat, add on various rooms for visiting spirits, explore a world filled with magic, learn to craft and find resources, and ultimately learn to say goodbye to your spirit friends. Your goal is not to earn enough points, or defeat as many enemies as possible, your only goal is to spend time with the spirits and give them what they need before they move on to the afterlife.

It could just be the sale, but maybe there is more to this sudden spike in players. Spiritfarer has been around for four and a half years but never had this many players on Steam. Is it possible that some players could use a reprieve from the otherwise violent and competitive games? Spiritfarer can offer a refuge for any gamers looking to find something more meaningful. Maybe this was already on players’ minds, but the deep discount during this week’s sale made it easier for more people to jump in.

Either way, it’s great to see a deserving title being appreciated by more players, even if it’s years later. Games without action, games that focus more on patience and emotional payoff, don’t always get the praise they deserve. Spiritfarer is something everyone should check out at some point, even if you think it’s not for you. Even if you only pick it up years from now, it will still hold up, as eleven thousand players can probably tell you.