Old browser games in 2026: still running, moved or closed

The short answer: many old browser games are still online, and offered by their publishers. OGame, Tribal Wars, Travian, Ikariam, Grepolis and Forge of Empires all had official pages or news from November 2026 or earlier in the year. Torn’s app listing was updated on 10 November 2026. RuneScape now needs a client, and Club Penguin and the original FarmVille closed. Inselkampf, a German island game, is the one we have a personal reason to include, and the one we can say least about.

Disclosure: Inselnova is ours, and Darren, its developer, writes this page. Facts about the other games come from their publishers’ own pages and press of the time, listed at the end. We have not played them, and a game being offered today is not a promise that your old account is there.

This page covers persistent browser strategy games and a few wider virtual worlds from among the 2000s online games people remember, leaving out downloadable games. Adobe stopped supporting Flash Player on 31 December 2020 and began blocking Flash content on 12 January 2021. We mention Flash only where a source ties a closure to it.

Before browser games, there were the strategy games on your PC

You may remember a different kind of strategy game first: ones you bought in a box or installed from a disc. Civilization came out in 1991, which 2K counted back to for its thirtieth anniversary in 2021. Age of Empires was first released on 15 October 1997, according to its own 2017 anniversary article, and StarCraft on 31 March 1998, according to Blizzard. These are downloaded or boxed PC games, not browser games. The browser strategy games below offered persistent worlds that continued between visits.

Old browser strategy games that are still online today

OGame, 2002

OGame is a space strategy game: you manage planets and mines, build fleets and send them to other players’ planets. Gameforge says its own story “began in 2002, with a passion project called OGame”, and its OGame page, read on 11 November 2026, says “Live since 2002” and “Right in your browser. No download, play instantly”.

Gameforge's OGame page, read 11 November 2026, describes a free-to-play browser game. Gameforge sells Dark Matter, its premium currency, which its pay-to-win page says buys officers (passive bonuses, including to combat), faster build and research times, extra trade missions and cosmetic skins.

Players on the official forum describe both the pull and the problem of returning. A player back after two decades writes:

I am back playing ogame after 20 years 😮I love the mobile version and many new developments

LLorna_OGofficial OGame forum, March 2026 (20 years later…)

and another, about the 2026 universe merges:

If the newer servers choose a peaceful server, I’m essentially being forced into a situation where I’m thrown in among players who are much stronger than me.

kkaygundrakaofficial OGame forum, March 2026 (Merges 2026 - discussion thread)

Choose it if you want space fleets and alliance politics in the game you may remember. For the longer comparison, see our OGame alternative page.

Tribal Wars, 2003

Tribal Wars has you develop medieval villages, and you can join or form a tribe with other players. InnoGames’ company timeline says Tribal Wars “officially launches in June” 2003, that “several thousand players” had joined by early 2004, and that it celebrated its 20th birthday in June 2023.

Tribalwars.net, read 11 November 2026, says "Tribal Wars is a browser-based game set in the Middle Ages" and offers free registration; its copyright line reads 2003 to 2026. InnoGames sells Premium Points, which can be bought in the shop or acquired through the Premium Exchange.

A player on the App Store writes:

This game requires a bit of patience, a ton of strategy, and you cannot be competitive without teamwork.

NNoemi ashApp Store review, June 2026 (Tribal Wars)

and a critical review from 2024 says:

Once you get big in this game it consumes your life because it requires all your time.

RRabidcharlieApp Store review, March 2024 (Tribal Wars)

Choose it if you want medieval village conquest and are happy to play in a tribe. Skip it if you cannot give it much time: the 2024 reviewer above says a big village takes all of theirs. See our Tribal Wars alternative page.

Travian, 2004

Travian is a village-building and raiding game in an ancient European world. A Travian press release from September 2013 says “125 million players have been enthused by Travian, since the game started in September 2004”, and describes 50 independent language versions.

Travian's official news carried an item for Mobile App 4.3.0 on 10 November 2026. Its help pages describe Travian: Legends as "a free browser-based Build & Raid strategy game" and Gold as its premium currency.

A player who has been there since the early days writes:

I was introduced to this game in 2005. I am now 50 and still love Travian

DDisorderlyConduct_03App Store review, August 2026 (Travian: Legends)

and a reviewer who found it costly:

It is 100 percent pay to play

AAndrewc808App Store review, June 2026 (Travian: Legends)

Choose it if you want a competitive round with a finish, and a fresh one afterwards. Skip it if you want one world that carries on. See games like Travian, or our comparison of vacation modes if time away is the worry.

Ikariam, 2008

Ikariam is set in ancient Greece: you build cities on islands, trade luxury goods with neighbours and fight for them. Gameforge dates it to 2008 on its OGame and Ikariam comparison page.

Gameforge's Ikariam page, read 11 November 2026, calls it "a free browser strategy game set in ancient Greece". The official forum announced version 17.3.0 for rollout on 7 July 2026, and it has player threads from November 2026. Gameforge sells Ambrosia, its premium currency; its Ambrosia page lists the functions.

Returning players on the official forum say both things. One, who started in 2008, writes:

I actually looked for a more modern replacement for Ikariam and compared many strategy games. I found games that were better in individual areas, but I could not find another game that offered exactly the same overall experience.

ddelima-hcofficial Ikariam forum, August 2026 (Proposal: Modernizing Ikariam Without Losing What Makes It Unique)

and another, back after more than ten years:

One thing really stands out: there’s absolutely nothing to encourage new players.

ttacomxofficial Ikariam forum, November 2026 (Does Ikariam really want new players?)

Still running does not mean your old server still exists: Gameforge’s forum has a merges 2026 thread, so check which servers are open. Choose it if you remember its island-city economy. See our Ikariam alternative page.

Grepolis, 2009

Grepolis is the Greek-mythology cousin: one city that grows by founding or conquering towns, with gods and heroes. InnoGames’ timeline says “In December, Grepolis becomes the third InnoGames game on the market”, under 2009.

InnoGames' World Masters 2026 FAQ describes this year's invite-only special server, and its support pages say you register in the browser. InnoGames sells Gold, which can also be earned through trading resources and inviting friends.

A player on the App Store writes:

I’ll continue playing as this game has a great atmosphere and competitive yet casual vibe.

ggucciestiloApp Store review, October 2025 (Grepolis)

and another, rating it two stars:

This may be the best strategy game I have ever played, but I cant keep up with the amount of money others spend.

YYgghtxfgggApp Store review, January 2025 (Grepolis)

Choose it if you want Greek mythology and city conquest. Skip it if you want a game where nothing is sold. See our Grepolis alternative page.

Forge of Empires, 2012

Forge of Empires is a city builder more than a conquest game: one city you develop from the Stone Age onwards, with technologies and a guild. InnoGames’ timeline says it turned 10 in March 2022, and that it won “Best Browser Game” at the German Computer Games Awards in April 2013.

InnoGames' Forge of Empires page, read 11 November 2026, offers it in the browser and on iOS and Android. InnoGames sells Diamonds, which it says you do not need to play.

A player on the App Store writes:

It’s something you can play while holding down a full-time job, it doesn’t take over your whole day. And the social aspect is great, playing with other people makes it a lot better.

SSamuel the DrengrApp Store review, November 2026 (Forge of Empires)

and another long-time player wrote six days later:

So sad to spend all these years building my city only to have game changes that set me back so far that it’s depressing and definitely not worth the effort anymore!

88Vegas8App Store review, November 2026 (Forge of Empires)

That second review is part of a cluster of one-star reviews about one update in early November 2026, so treat it as a snapshot and not the long-run mood. Choose it if you want to develop one city from the Stone Age onwards. It offers multiplayer modes against other players, but its main pull is building a city rather than conquering settlements. See games like Forge of Empires.

Beyond armies: 2000s online games you kept returning to

Torn, 2004

Torn is a text-based crime game: you train your character, work jobs, fight, gamble and join factions. An archived copy of its about page (15 September 2025) carries a copyright line from 2004 and calls it “a text-based online RPG set in Torn City”.

Torn's Google Play listing was updated on 10 November 2026 and lists in-app purchases. The archived about page says "Players will never ever be deleted or reset". Browser access: the archived about page calls it a browser game, and the Google Play listing covers Android.

Choose it if you want a crime game that dates back to 2004 and advertises no resets. Skip it if you want armies and fleets. Its official site is torn.com.

Neopets, 1999

Neopets is the one entry here from before 2000, and it is not a strategy game: you look after virtual pets and play minigames. Its copyright line starts in 1999, and on 10 November 2026 its news page announced a 27th birthday event.

Neopets' news page, 10 November 2026, announces a birthday event and mentions a Premium perk. The pages we read do not say whether the game is played in a browser, and Neopets also has a Companion App.

We did not look at which of the old minigames still work, so check before you plan around one. Choose it if you want pets and Neopia, which no other game on this page offers. Skip it if you came for strategy. Inselnova is not a substitute for it. Its official site is neopets.com.

2000s online games that moved or closed

RuneScape: no longer a browser game

RuneScape celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2026, according to Jagex’s press release of 19 January 2026, which says it is “available now on PC, Steam, iOS, and Android”. Its browser-support page explains the change: “Recent updates to Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox drop support for the Java plug-in required to play RuneScape”, so “it’s no longer possible to play RuneScape in these browsers”, and it recommends the game client instead. That page is undated, so it describes the change as it stood when we read it, not a current download route.

So the game continues, but not in a browser tab. If you want that world and your character, go to RuneScape’s official site. We have not looked at how its old versions relate to the current game.

Club Penguin, 2005 to 2017

Club Penguin was a virtual world for children where you waddled around a snowy island as a penguin avatar. Disney’s press release of 1 August 2007 says “Since its launch in October 2005” it had grown to more than 700,000 paid subscribers. PocketGamer.biz reported on 1 February 2017 that it “will be shutting down on March 29th 2017 to be replaced by mobile-only title” Club Penguin Island, and that Disney was offering refunds to paid members. We could not open Disney’s own notice, so the closure date rests on that report.

We found no browser game that is close to it, and we do not suggest one.

FarmVille, 2009 to 2020

The original FarmVille was a Facebook farming game, and TheWrap reported on 28 September 2020 that Zynga said it “will shut down completely before the New Year on Dec. 31” and that “the game launched in 2009”. Engadget wrote on 31 December 2020 that it ended “in sync with Adobe ending Flash support needed for the game to run”, and that “you can still play the follow-ups”. This is the one closure on this page that the press we read tied to Flash, and Adobe’s own page confirms the dates of that change.

We did not look for a browser farming game to suggest in its place.

Inselkampf, and the games made from its memory

Inselkampf was a German-language island strategy game, and it is the reason Inselnova exists. What we can source is thin, so here is what we found and what we could not open.

Darren played it, and our own Inselkampf page tells it from his side. We have not independently established when it launched or closed. The Internet Archive’s index holds inselkampf.com snapshots from 8 February 2006 and 1 January 2014, but the archive blocked us from reading the pages, so we cannot show you a launch or closure notice. Kampfinsel’s creator wrote on Hacker News in April 2026:

I grew up in Germany in the early 2000s playing a browser game called Inselkampf. You built up an island, mined gold and stone, cut down trees for wood, raised armies, sent fleets across an ocean grid, joined alliances and got betrayed by them. Same genre as OGame or Travian. It shut down in 2014 and I never found anything that replaced that feeling of checking in before school to see if your fleet had arrived and your alliance was still alive.

pparzivaltHacker News, April 2026 (Kampfinsel on Hacker News)

Online: inselkampf.net, read 11 November 2026, offered a login and a registration link, and its FAQ describes "Das Browser-Strategiespiel auf dem Ozean". Neither page says who runs it or how it relates to the original, so we do not describe it as the original.

Choose it if you read German and want to look for yourself. Skip it if you need to know that it is the original service, because we could not establish that.

Two newer games grew out of that memory in 2026. Kampfinsel says it is a standalone, newly built game and not an official remake; it was publicly presented as live in April 2026, and its creator describes its look as “intentionally rough and text-heavy”. Our comparison of the two sets out the differences.

Inselnova is the one we make. It is a medieval island strategy game in one world that opened on 27 February 2026, with no reset since. It is free, nothing is for sale, and it runs in a browser on desktop and phone, with no app. New players get a Sanctuary of seven days that ends the moment you send an attack, raid, blockade or settling fleet at another player, and you can shutter your islands for up to 21 days in any rolling year, for at least 24 hours and not while a hostile fleet is inbound. It cannot give you back an old account, an old alliance or the original rules. It is also young, with a smaller community than the long-running names above, so if you want OGame’s space fleets, Travian’s round endings or Neopets’ pets, play those.

Classic browser games: where they are now

Statuses are as of 11 November 2026 and describe what a publisher page showed, not whether we tested the game.

“Not stated” means we found no publisher page that says either way.

If you want a medieval island strategy game in a browser with nothing for sale, you can start as a guest with no account.