Cult Text-Based Zombie MMO 'Urban Dead' Is Shutting Down After 20 Years

The long-running text-based zombie MMO Urban Dead is 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,' [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 original website is still online if you want to play the game before its shutdown later this month.

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