They Don't Sleep
Released Sep 2022
Eat, sleep, and shoot zombies in this survival simulator with roguelite elements. Battle to survive until you die and do it all over again. Level up your skills and keep your child alive as you fight to escape your wintry hell.
96% positive · 216 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Where to buy
Steam $2.99
Can't confirm — worth a look
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Evaluation
They Don't Sleep launched on September 14, 2022. The day after launch, developer Christian from Missing Middle Games posted a roadmap outlining a major update planned for October, followed by an honest note that the future beyond that update was "unknown" — the developer was eager to move on to a new project and couldn't commit to further large updates.
That planned major update shipped on October 19, 2022 (version 1.1), adding a difficulty modifier system, rare items, new achievements, and balance changes — everything the roadmap had described. Two small bug-fix patches followed on October 20 and October 29, 2022, resolving achievement and skill display issues. The October 29 patch is the last recorded developer communication.
The developer's own post-launch roadmap explicitly framed the October update as the one committed deliverable, with everything beyond that described as uncertain. The major update shipped as promised, the subsequent bug fixes wrapped up known issues, and no further content or updates have been announced since October 29, 2022. The only DLC is the game's soundtrack, which released on October 22, 2022 and has no unreleased follow-ups. The developer's stated intent to move on to a new project, combined with the delivery of all promised content and over three years of silence, indicates the game shipped as a complete, self-contained package.
Evidence
Version 1.1 major update shipped — the promised October update — adding difficulty modifiers, rare items, new achievements, and balance changes. Developer described wanting to make the game 'a more complete package.'
Developer roadmap posted day after launch: committed to one major update in October, but explicitly stated the future beyond that was 'unknown' and that they were eager to move on to their next game project.
Content
1 of 1 released · no outstanding content
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Missing Middle Games
Achievements
17
Platform
Windows
Controller
partial support
Steam Deck
Not rated
Players
Single-player
About this game
Escape the zombie apocalypse! They Don't Sleep is a fast-paced, bite-sized zombie survival life sim with easy-to-grasp gameplay and no lengthy tutorials. Get right into the action and start shooting zombies, managing your supplies, and juggling the needs of Kaya and her child, all while trying to fix her truck and escape.
The zombies never stop coming, but you have the ammunition to stop them--as long as you keep it stocked! Keep them from breaking through your fences and fix them up when they get damaged. But don't forget to take care of your baby and your own needs. Stress and hunger can be just as deadly as the ravening horde... to you or your child.
Upgrade seven different skills as you gain experience and level up. Every level you gain persists from run to run, so with each attempt to escape, your odds will improve as you shoot more accurately, run faster, and take better care of the baby.
Like the great games of old, They Don't Sleep doesn't hold your hand, but it doesn't hide information either. Want to know your chance to hit at 20 meters? How many seconds it takes to repair your truck? How many bowls of stew you can cook in each pot? You got it.
A labor of love by one solo developer, They Don't Sleep features all-original, hand-crafted pixel art, an emotional character-driven story told in bite-sized chunks, and tight, focused zombie survival gameplay. It's a small game because it's made by one person, but it packs a punch.
My mission as a developer is to make small, engaging, meaningful games that you can jump right in and have a great time with and put back down when they're done.
Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Jun 21, 2026
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