Cult Text-Based Zombie MMO 'Urban Dead' Is Shutting Down After 20 Years (gamesradar.com)
(Tuesday March 04, 2025 @10:30PM (BeauHD)
from the no-longer-feasible dept.)
- Reference: 0176617305
- News link: https://games.slashdot.org/story/25/03/05/0036212/cult-text-based-zombie-mmo-urban-dead-is-shutting-down-after-20-years
- Source link: https://www.gamesradar.com/games/mmo/cult-text-based-zombie-mmo-urban-dead-is-shutting-down-after-a-full-19-years-8-months-and-11-days-because-of-new-uk-legislation/
The long-running text-based zombie MMO Urban Dead is [1]shutting down on March 14, 2025 , after nearly 20 years. The reason: compliance concerns with the UK's Online Safety Act. Games Radar+ reports:
> "The Online Safety Act comes into force later this month, applying to all social and gaming websites where users interact, and especially those without strong age restrictions,"[2]writes Kevan Davis, the solo British developer behind the game]. "With the possibility of heavy corporate-sized fines even for solo web projects like this one, I've reluctantly concluded that it doesn't look feasible for Urban Dead to be able to continue operating."
> "The Online Safety Act comes into force later this month, applying to all social and gaming websites where users interact, and especially those without strong age restrictions,"
[2]writes Kevan Davis, the solo British developer behind the game]. "With the possibility of heavy corporate-sized fines even for solo web projects like this one, I've reluctantly concluded that it doesn't look feasible for Urban Dead to be able to continue operating."
>
> "So a full 19 years, 8 months and 11 days after its quarantine began, Urban Dead will be shut down," Davis writes. "No grand finale. No final catastrophe. No helicopter evac. Make your peace or your final stand in whichever part of Malton you called home, and the game will be switched off at noon UTC on 14 March."
The [3]original website is still online if you want to play the game before its shutdown later this month.
[1] https://www.gamesradar.com/games/mmo/cult-text-based-zombie-mmo-urban-dead-is-shutting-down-after-a-full-19-years-8-months-and-11-days-because-of-new-uk-legislation/
[2] https://urbandead.com/shutdown.html
[3] https://urbandead.com/index.html
How is it that THIS is how I learn about this (Score:2)
by Morromist ( 1207276 )
Damn, this sounds really cool! I wish I;d learned about it before it was dying.
Re: How is it that THIS is how I learn about this (Score:2, Funny)
by zawarski ( 1381571 )
I just said the same thing about democracy in the United States. Ba dum tish.
Re: How is it that THIS is how I learn about this (Score:2)
by zawarski ( 1381571 )
I was not hiding, Sherlock.
Re: (Score:2)
by Smidge204 ( 605297 )
It's alright.
You have X action points that regenerate over time. Use those points to either move to a different building, break down a barricades, build up a barricades, search for supplies, or attack someone in the same building as you. Play as either a zombie or survivor, each has some unique mechanics (e.g. only survivors can build barricades). City is a big grid of buildings.
Kingdom of Loathing is a superior experience IMHO.
=Smidge=
I'll be that guy... (Score:2)
Just move it to a server in the states or sell it to allow someone else to host it. Open source it. Github. I mean, there are far more options here instead of just shutting it down I would think.
These seems like the lazy way out.
Re: (Score:2)
The website does say "If Urban Dead is ever revivified or spun off in any way in the future, it'll be announced on this website" so I guess they're leaving room for the possibility anyway.
it also says that it has 1632 Players active in the last day, so its quite a living and healthy community, maybe even more than slashdot.
Re: (Score:3)
Far more than here. I've been here sine the heyday and keep coming back. It never gets better, but I have a humiliation fetish, so it fills a need. :p
Re: (Score:2)
> it also says that it has 1632 Players active in the last day
It's been many years since I've played it but 1,632 active players probably translates to like 400-ish actual people, maybe less. Part of the reason I stopped playing was some people would control a whole hoard of characters in concert and just ransack an entire area before actual players could react.
=Smidge=