Nekro is a term with multiple distinct meanings, primarily as a linguistic prefix and as the name of a cancelled video game and a metal band.
Etymology
As a prefix, nekro- is a variant spelling of necro-, derived from the Ancient Greek νεκρός (nekrós), meaning "dead" or "dead body." It is used in Finnish and Polish as a prefix to form words related to death, corpses, or dead tissue. In English, the more common spelling is necro- (e.g., necromancy, necropolis, necrophilia).
Cancelled Video Game
Nekro was an action video game developed by darkForge Games LLC, successfully crowdfunded via Kickstarter in 2012. The game cast the player as a necromancer seeking vengeance against a king who had betrayed them. Players could summon undead minions, brew spells in cauldrons, and conquer procedurally generated levels from an overhead perspective. The game was released in early access on Steam in May 2014 but was ultimately cancelled before a full release. Forbes described the game's premise as "you're the villain and it's your job to sow chaos and destruction." The game was planned for Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms.
Music
Nekro was an Argentine death metal band formed in 2012 in Rada Tilly, Chubut, Argentina. The band was active until approximately 2018 and remained unsigned. They are listed on Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives.
Additionally, Nekro Cvlt Desecration is a black/thrash metal band originally formed in 2013 in Cabimas, Zulia, Venezuela, later based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. They released a full-length album titled Purification in the Witchcraft Flames in 2025 via Murder Records.
Other Uses
- Nekro may appear as a given name or surname, though it is uncommon.
- The spelling nekro- appears in various European languages (e.g., Finnish, Polish) as a prefix in compound words relating to death, such as nekrologi (obituary) in Finnish.
