| Dungeon Keeper | |
|---|---|
 North American box art | |
| Developer(s) | Bullfrog Productions |
| Publisher(s) | Electronic Arts |
| Producer(s) | Peter Molyneux |
| Designer(s) | Peter Molyneux Mark Healey |
| Programmer(s) | Simon Carter |
| Artist(s) | Mark Healey |
| Composer(s) | Russell Shaw |
| Series | Dungeon Keeper |
| Platform(s) | MS-DOS, Windows 95 |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Real-time strategy, god game, dungeon management game |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Dungeon Keeper is a strategy video game developed by Bullfrog Productions and released by Electronic Arts in June 1997 for MS-DOS and Windows 95. In Dungeon Keeper, the player builds and manages a dungeon, protecting it from invading 'hero' characters intent on stealing accumulated treasures, killing monsters and ultimately the player's demise. The ultimate goal is to conquer the world by destroying the heroic forces and rival dungeon keepers in each realm. A character known as the Avatar (resembling the Avatar from Ultima VIII: Pagan) appears as the final hero. Dungeon Keeper uses Creative Technology's SoundFont technology to enhance its atmosphere. Multiplayer with up to four players is supported using a modem, or over a local network.
Dungeon Keeper took over two years to develop, and an expansion pack, a Direct3D version, and a level editor were released. Midway through development, lead developer Peter Molyneux decided to leave Bullfrog when the game was complete, which was the motivation for its success. Versions for the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation were in development, but cancelled. The game received critical acclaim, with reviewers praising the uniqueness and depth. Dungeon Keeper was re-released on GOG.com in 2011, Origin in 2016, and Steam in 2024. A fan-made mod, KeeperFX, was released, which fixes bugs and adds features. Dungeon Keeper was followed by a sequel, Dungeon Keeper 2, in 1999, and influenced games such as Lego Rock Raiders and Ghost Master.