List of MUDs
Appearance
This is a chronological list of notable MUDs with summary information.
Legend
Title | The MUD's title; if it has had more than one title, the most recent title. Disambiguation is included only when MUDs in this list have the same title. |
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Founded | The date the MUD was founded or first made publicly accessible. |
Closed | The date the MUD ceased to be publicly accessible. A blank entry indicates the MUD continues to operate. |
Business model | A brief description of the MUD's business model. "Free" means the MUD has no revenue stream. " Freebie marketing " means that the MUD, by its existence, provides a purchase incentive for external goods.
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Developer | The company that carried out development of the MUD, or if the MUD was not developed by a company, major individual contributors, if known by real name; " Et al ." indicates other contributors, often a large number of participants in a project community.
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Publisher | Any third parties that published the MUD. A blank entry indicates independent publication. "Independent" may also appear with a list of third parties to indicate that the MUD was independently published in addition to being published by third parties. |
Setting | A summary of the setting or, if applicable, the specific setting it is based on.
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Style | A summary of the style or styles of interaction the MUD focuses on. |
Family | The general family of MUD server software that the MUD is associated with, if any. |
Codebase | The specific server software the MUD is based on; a blank entry indicates independently developed, custom infrastructure. Multiple items indicate different codebases the MUD has used over time. |
Mudlib | The mudlib the MUD is based on, if any.
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Contributions | Publicly released software originating with the MUD or other public contributions. |
Notes | Other brief and significant information: MUDs in this article that are versions of one another, category origination, key clarifications. Not for general information about the MUD. |
List
Title | Founded | Closed | Business model | Developer | Publisher | Setting | Style | Family | Codebase | Mudlib
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Contributions | Notes |
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MUD1 | 1978 | Free | Roy Trubshaw, Richard Bartle |
Fantasy | Hack and slash | Essex | MUDDL |
MUDDL |
The first MUD; see also British Legends | |||
MAD |
1984 | 1986 | Free | Bruno Chabrier, Vincent Lextrait | BITNET | Fantasy | Hack and slash | |||||
Island of Kesmai | 1985 | 2000 | Subscription | Kesmai | CompuServe | Fantasy | Hack and slash, roguelike | See also Legends of Kesmai | ||||
MUD2 | 1985 | Free | Roy Trubshaw , Simon Dally |
Fantasy | Hack and slash | Essex | MUDDLE | Successor to/heavily updated version of MUD1 | ||||
AberMUD | 1987 | 1987 | Free | Alan Cox, Richard Acott, Jim Finnis, Leon Thrane | Fantasy | Hack and slash | AberMUD | AberMUD | AberMUD | The first AberMUD | ||
British Legends |
1987 | 1999 | Subscription | Roy Trubshaw, Richard Bartle |
CompuServe | Fantasy | Hack and slash | Essex | MUDDL |
Commercial version of MUD1 | ||
GemStone | 1988 | Subscription | Simutronics | GEnie, AOL, independent | High fantasy | Hack and slash | ||||||
Avalon |
1989 | Free | Yehuda Simmons | Fantasy | Politics, player versus player, roleplaying | Pioneered plotted quests. | ||||||
TinyMUD |
1989 | 1990 | Free | James Aspnes | Cross-genre |
Social | MU* | TinyMUD |
TinyMUD |
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Genesis LPMud |
1989 | Free | Felix Croes et al. |
Medieval fantasy |
Roleplaying | LPMud | CD |
CD |
CD gamedriver and mudlib |
The first LPMud | ||
TinyTIM | 1990 | Free | Jason Scott Sadofsky et al. |
Cross-genre |
Social | MU* | TinyMUD, MUSH |
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BatMUD | 1990 | Pay for perks |
B.A.T. ry | Fantasy | Hack and slash, player versus player | LPMud | LPMud | |||||
FurryMUCK | 1990 | Donation-supported | Furry | Social, roleplaying | MU* | TinyMUCK | ||||||
LambdaMOO | 1990 | Free | Pavel Curtis et al. | Xerox PARC , independent |
Cross-genre |
Social | MU* | MOO | LambdaCore | |||
MicroMUSE | 1990 | Free | Cross-genre |
Educational, social |
MU* | MUSH, TinyMUSE | TinyMUSE | Arguably first educational MUD | ||||
Lost Souls |
1990 | Pay for perks |
Michael Rice, Rebecca Willey, Matthew Sheahan et al. | Medieval fantasy |
Hack and slash, roleplaying | LPMud | LDMud |
Ain Soph |
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TubMUD | 1990 | Free | Medieval fantasy |
Hack and slash, roleplaying | LPMud | LDMud |
Tublib | First MUD hosted in Germany | ||||
Ancient Anguish | 1991 | Donation-supported | Balz Meierhans, Olivier Maquelin et al. | Fantasy | Hack and slash | LPMud | Amylaar |
Loch Ness | ||||
Armageddon | 1991 | freebie marketing |
Dan Brumleve, Nasri Hajj, Santiago Zorzopulos, Cat Rambo et al. | Post-apocalyptic low fantasy |
Roleplaying | DikuMUD | DikuMUD | |||||
DikuMUD | 1991 | 1991 | Free | Sebastian Hammer, Michael Seifert, Hans Henrik Staerfeldt, Tom Madsen, Katja Nyboe | Fantasy | Hack and slash | DikuMUD | DikuMUD | DikuMUD | Refers to the first DikuMUD at freja.diku.dk 4000
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Discworld MUD | 1991 | Free | David Bennett, Craig Richmond, Sean A. Reith, Evan Scott, Derek Harding, Jake Greenland et al. | Discworld | Hack and slash, roleplaying, social | LPMud | FluffOS |
Discworld |
FluffOS |
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Dragon's Gate | 1991 | 2006 | Subscription | Darrin Hyrup | GEnie, AOL, Mythic Realms, independent | Fantasy | Hack and slash, roleplaying | |||||
Elendor | 1991 | Free | Lord of the Rings | Roleplaying, social | MU* | MUSH | ||||||
PernMUSH |
1991 | 2014 | Free | Pern |
Roleplaying, social | MU* | MUSH | |||||
Star Wars MUSH |
1991 | Free | Star Wars | Roleplaying, social | MU* | MUSH | ||||||
Xyllomer | 1991 | Free | Fantasy | Roleplaying | LPMud | LPMud, DGD | CD |
First public DGD MUD | ||||
Genocide |
1992 | Free | Fantasy | Player versus player | LPMud | Amylaar |
First " pure PK " MUD
| |||||
AmberMUSH |
1992 | 2009 | Free | Jennifer Smith et al. | Amber | Roleplaying | MU* | TinyMUSH |
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Infinity (LPMud) |
1992 | Free | Peter William Friedman, Bill Mackiewicz et al. | Cross-genre |
Hack and slash, social, player versus player | LPMud | LDMud |
LPMud 2.4.5 | ||||
3Kingdoms | 1992 | Pay for perks |
Cross-genre |
Hack and slash | LPMud | LDMud |
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The Shadow of Yserbius | 1992 | 1996 | Subscription | Sierra On-Line |
The ImagiNation Network, AOL |
Fantasy | graphical |
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MorgenGrauen | 1992 | Free | Medieval fantasy |
Hack and slash | LPMud | LDMud |
MorgenGrauen |
MorgenGrauen Mudlib |
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Diversity University | 1993 | 2006 | Free | Jeanne McWhorter et al. | Modern |
Educational |
MU* | MOO | First educational MOO, arguably first educational MUD | |||
BioMOO |
1993 | 2001 | Free | Gustavo Glusman, Jaime Prilusky et al. | Modern |
Educational |
MU* | MOO | File Utilities Package, intermoo GNA Network | |||
Infinity (AberMUD) |
1993 | Free | Fantasy | Hack and slash | AberMUD | AberMUD | ||||||
BayMOO | 1993 | Free | Tim Keanini et al. | Modern |
educational |
MU* | MOO | |||||
MediaMOO |
1993 | 2000 | Free | Amy S. Bruckman et al. | Modern |
Educational |
MU* | MOO | Mirror archived at Clemson University | |||
DragonSpires |
1994 | 1997 | Pay for perks |
Dragon's Eye Productions | Fantasy | graphical |
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LegendMUD | 1994 | Free | Raph Koster, Kristen Koster, Rick Delashmit, Sherry Delashmit et al. | Historical fantasy | Hack and slash | DikuMUD | DikuMUD | |||||
Legends of Terris |
1994 | Subscription | Paul Barnett, Doug Goldner, Online Games Company | Fantasy | Hack and slash, roleplaying | Horizon Engine |
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Realms of Despair |
1994 | Free | Derek Snider et al. | Fantasy | Hack and slash | DikuMUD | Merc 2, SMAUG |
SMAUG | ||||
LinguaMOO |
1995 | Free | Cynthia Haynes, Jan Rune Holmevik et al. | Modern |
Educational |
MU* | MOO | |||||
ATHEMOO | 1995 | 2010 | Free | Juli Burk et al. | Modern |
Educational, theatrical |
MU* | MOO | ||||
The Ruins of Cawdor |
1995 | 1996 | Subscription | Sierra On-Line |
The ImagiNation Network, AOL |
Fantasy | graphical |
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DragonRealms |
1996 | Subscription | Simutronics | Microsoft Gaming Zone , independent |
Fantasy | Hack and slash, roleplaying, player versus player | ||||||
MOOSE Crossing |
1996 | 2007 | Free | Amy S. Bruckman et al. | Modern |
Educational |
MU* | MOO | ||||
Legends of Kesmai |
1996 | 2000 | Subscription | Kesmai | independent, AOL, GameStorm, EA | Fantasy | graphical, roguelike |
Tile-graphics version of Island of Kesmai | ||||
TorilMUD | 1996 | Free | Kris Kortright et al. | Forgotten Realms | Hack and slash | DikuMUD | Sequent | |||||
Achaea, Dreams of Divine Lands | 1997 | Pay for perks, subscription |
Iron Realms Entertainment | Fantasy | Roleplaying, Player versus player | Rapture | ATCP | |||||
Alter Aeon |
1997 | Pay for perks |
Dennis Towne et al. | Medieval fantasy |
Hack and slash | DikuMUD | DentinMUD | |||||
ifMUD | 1997 | Free | Liza Daly et al. | Interactive fiction | Social | MU* | PerlMUD | Hosts the XYZZY Awards | ||||
Darkness Falls: The Crusade |
1999 | 2006 | Subscription | Mythic Entertainment | GameStorm, AOL, Centropolis Entertainment | Fantasy | Player versus player | |||||
Legacy of the Sith | 2001 | Free | Star Wars | Hack and slash, Politics, player versus player, roleplaying, | DikuMUD | SWR FotE | Oldest SWR MUD still running | |||||
RuneScape | 2001 | pay for perks |
Jagex | Fantasy | graphical |
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Wyvern |
2001 | 2013 | Free | Cabochon Inc. | Fantasy | graphical, roguelike |
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God Wars II | 2002 | Free | Richard Woolcock et al. | Dark fantasy | Player versus player | Gladiator Pits II | Gladiator Pits II, MSDP | |||||
HellMOO | 2003 | 2022 | Free | Post-apocalyptic | player versus player | MU* | MOO |