After 11 grueling years and 6 different versions of the game, management sim devs decide they've finally made something that doesn't suck: Tavern Keeper "wasn't fun for ages"

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After 11 grueling years and 6 different versions of the game, management sim devs decide they've finally made something that doesn't suck: Tavern Keeper "wasn't fun for ages" News By Ashley Bardhan published 25 November 2025

"It's a systems game, and it wasn't fun"

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(Image credit: Greenheart Games)

It's incredible that hectic management sims like Greenheart Games' new Tavern Keeper use game loops that can make even dastardly procrastinators like me excited to do chores. It might be a miracle, or just a terrifying act of psychology, but it's definitely not easy to turn dread into comfort, says Greenheart co-founder Patrick Klug.

Klug tells PC Gamer that cutesy medieval fantasy Tavern Keeper wasn't really enjoyable to play in "at least" its first seven years of development. It wasn't until 11-and-a-half years had passed and Greenheart had cycled through six different versions of the game that it could be considered "fun."

But those first seven years were "a really difficult time," says Klug, since he had "to trust that, 'I know once we finish this system, and this system and this system will go together, that it will be fun, right?'"

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But, uh. It wasn't. Things like Tavern Keeper's random storybook events "always felt like they took you out of the game, [...], and that hurts because I was always very adamant that I wanted this storytelling in the game," Klug says. It took "dozens" of tries just to make Tavern Keeper's storybook moments what they are now – role-playing opportunities that enhance the game's magic rather than kill it.

"It took ages to feel right," Klug comments. But Greenheart Games' decade of trouble finished with perfect fruit. Tavern Keeper, which is currently in its early access period, remains at an Overwhelmingly Positive review rating on Steam, with one popular review giving it the unparalleled compliment of feeling like "Rimworld, the Sims, Baldur's Gate, Zoo Tycoon, and Planet Coaster all over again."

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. CATEGORIES PC Gaming Platforms Ashley BardhanSenior Writer

Ashley is a Senior Writer at GamesRadar+. She's been a staff writer at Kotaku and Inverse, too, and she's written freelance pieces about horror and women in games for sites like Rolling Stone, Vulture, IGN, and Polygon. When she's not covering gaming news, she's usually working on expanding her doll collection while watching Saw movies one through 11.

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