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Old guard

Classic browser MMOs and persistent games that are still running

Text RPGs, space empires, football managers and virtual pet sites from the 1990s and 2000s that are still answering, with launch years and sources.

Updated 2026-10-29 路 23 sources 路 status lights show our latest check

Long before .io games, the browser was home to persistent worlds: games where your character, empire or club keeps existing between sessions. Many from the 1990s and 2000s are still running. This list covers the 35 classic-era persistent and community games in our directory that haven't closed, oldest first in each group. Launch years and developers come from the cited sources (the game's own site, Wikipedia or Wikidata). The oldest with a sourced date is Achaea (1997).

Text RPGs, MUDs and crime games

Turn-based or text-driven role-playing worlds, many with decades of lore.

  • AchaeaOnline

    Roleplay-focused, text-based MUD from Iron Realms Entertainment.

    Launched 1997 路 Developer: Iron Realms Entertainment 路 source

  • Kingdom of LoathingOnline

    A free, comical browser-based multiplayer RPG, still getting small updates two decades on.

    Launched 2003 路 Developer: Asymmetric Publications 路 source

  • OmertaOnline

    Text-based gangster MMORPG: work your way up 1930s organized crime.

    Launched 2003 路 source

  • PopmundoOnline

    Online RPG and community where you chase fame in a virtual music industry, played in real time.

    Launched 2003 路 source

  • The WestOnline

    InnoGames' Wild West browser RPG: work, duel, fight in fort battles and write your own frontier story.

    Launched 2008 路 source

  • Fallen LondonOnline

    Browser-based interactive narrative set in a gothic, alternative Victorian London, by Failbetter Games.

    Launched 2009 路 Developer: Failbetter Games 路 source

  • Shakes & FidgetOnline

    Browser MMORPG based on the webcomic that parodies World of Warcraft: create a hero, fight monster bunnies and gain glory.

    Launched 2009 路 source

  • AetoliaOnline

    "The Midnight Age": a text-based roleplaying MUD with a player-run world and 20+ classes.

  • BootleggersOnline

    Free browser-based mafia MMORPG; compete with other players in a strategy crime game.

  • HoboWarsOnline

    Fight other hobos, join a gang, race shopping carts and train rats in this goofy browser RPG.

  • ImperianOnline

    Text-based RPG and MUD from Iron Realms, playable from the browser.

  • LusterniaOnline

    Text-based fantasy MUD from Iron Realms, playable in the browser.

  • TornOnline

    Text-based crime RPG set in Torn City, with factions, markets, poker and thousands of active players.

Persistent strategy and empire games

Build a village, a planet or a nation, and check back daily.

  • UtopiaOnline

    Fantasy kingdom-management strategy game with text-based graphics, running since the 90s.

    Launched 1998 路 source

  • PlanetarionOnline

    Space strategy MMO: mine your planet's asteroids, build a fleet and attack other players' planets.

    Launched 2000 路 source

  • OGameOnline

    Space-themed browser strategy MMO from Gameforge, one of the longest-running browser games.

    Launched 2002 路 Developer: Gameforge 路 source

  • Kings of ChaosOnline

    Text-based strategy: build your army, conquer your enemies, become a King of Chaos.

    Launched 2003 路 source

  • Tribal WarsOnline

    Medieval real-time strategy MMO: grow a village, conquer others and coordinate with your tribe.

    Launched 2003 路 Developer: InnoGames 路 source

  • PardusOnline

    Graphical browser MMORPG in space with a player-driven economy across hundreds of sectors.

    Launched 2004 路 source

  • Travian: LegendsOnline

    Persistent real-time strategy set in classical antiquity; build villages and fight other players.

    Launched 2004 路 Developer: Travian Games 路 source

  • Cyber NationsOnline

    Free online nation simulation: build and defend your nation while dealing with other players.

    Launched 2006 路 source

  • eRepublikOnline

    Multiplayer strategy: rule a country, run a business or start a resistance war.

    Launched 2008 路 source

  • IkariamOnline

    Browser strategy MMO where you rule a small town on an archipelago in classical Greece.

    Launched 2008 路 Developer: Gameforge 路 source

  • Astro EmpiresOnline

    Free real-time space strategy MMO in a persistent universe.

  • Earth EmpiresOnline

    Free browser strategy game where you run a nation's military and economy, played in dated rounds across several game modes.

  • Goodgame EmpireOnline

    Medieval strategy browser game: build a castle, raise an army and fight PvP battles.

  • Neptune's PrideOnline

    Real-time space strategy played over several weeks: race to capture half the stars in the galaxy through fleets, trade and diplomacy.

Sports management

Run a club for a season that lasts weeks.

  • HattrickOnline

    Massively multiplayer football (soccer) management sim with league pyramids in 140+ countries.

    Launched 1997 路 source

  • BuzzerBeaterOnline

    Free online basketball manager game with leagues around the world.

  • Online Soccer ManagerOnline

    Manage your favourite football club for free against other managers.

  • Trophy ManagerOnline

    Online football (soccer) management game with national teams and a Champions League.

Virtual pets, worlds and communities

Social sites built around pets, avatars and forums.

  • NeopetsOnline

    The legendary virtual pet site: adopt Neopets, explore Neopia, play games and trade with other players.

    Launched 1999 路 Developer: Viacom, Nickelodeon, World of Neopia, Inc. 路 source

  • Gaia OnlineOnline

    Anime-themed online hangout mixing forums, avatars, a virtual world and games.

    Launched 2003 路 source

  • SubetaOnline

    Virtual pet site: adopt pets, dress them up, explore shops and quests; the community has been around since 2004.

    Launched 2004 路 source

Nation and politics simulators

Write policy, form alliances, go to war on paper.

  • NationStatesOnline

    Multiplayer government simulation created by Max Barry, based loosely on his novel Jennifer Government.

    Launched 2002 路 source

For the ones that didn't make it (RuneScape Classic, Toontown Online, Glitch, Urban Dead and others) see the graveyard.

Sources

  1. [1] Achaea: launch year / developer
  2. [2] Cyber Nations: launch year / developer
  3. [3] eRepublik: launch year / developer
  4. [4] Fallen London: launch year / developer
  5. [5] Gaia Online: launch year / developer
  6. [6] Hattrick: launch year / developer
  7. [7] Ikariam: launch year / developer
  8. [8] Kingdom of Loathing: launch year / developer
  9. [9] Kings of Chaos: launch year / developer
  10. [10] NationStates: launch year / developer
  11. [11] Neopets: launch year / developer
  12. [12] OGame: launch year / developer
  13. [13] Omerta: launch year / developer
  14. [14] Pardus: launch year / developer
  15. [15] Planetarion: launch year / developer
  16. [16] Popmundo: launch year / developer
  17. [17] Shakes & Fidget: launch year / developer
  18. [18] Subeta: launch year / developer
  19. [19] The West: launch year / developer
  20. [20] Torn: launch year / developer
  21. [21] Travian: Legends: launch year / developer
  22. [22] Tribal Wars: launch year / developer
  23. [23] Utopia: launch year / developer

Wikipedia text is summarised from the linked articles (CC BY-SA 4.0). Game statuses come from our own checks of each official site.

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