Free-to-play text MMO browser game, Urban Dead, will close just shy of its 20th anniversary because of the introduction of the UK’s Online Safety Act.
In a statement spotted by GameDeveloper, developer Kevan Davis said that as the law applies to “all social and gaming websites where users interact” and “heavy corporate-sized fines [apply] even for solo web projects,” it was no longer “feasible” to keep the browser game online.
“Sad to have to announce that Urban Dead will be closing down on Friday 14 March 2025, due to an upcoming change in UK website legislation,” Davis wrote.
“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. 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. 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.”
On that date, the game’s wiki will be set to read-only, but Davis did tell players “if Urban Dead is ever revivified or spun off in any way in the future, it’ll be announced on this website.”
The developer closed by offering to refund any IP unlock donations made in the past six months “on request,” since the shutdown was “unexpected.”
“If you’re glad that the game stayed up as long as it did, you can scavenge me a freeze-dried coffee,” Davis added.
Last month, the UK government declined tightening consumer laws to better protect UK gamers aggrieved at the sunsetting or “disabling” of live service games.