hackmud
hackmud is a retro cyberpunk RPG where you play a digital persona in a chaotic, unpredictable, and often goofy abandoned internet. Enter a 90s hacker movie filled with scripts, scams, and sabotage. Explore the world of digital secrets and forge your legacy through cunning, creativity, or disruption.
In the abandoned internet, the old rules are dead. Don't just follow the script, write your own. This is a system waiting to be subverted by the operators who dare to learn its rules.
Your goals are your own:
Will you become a digital archaeologist, piecing together the fragmented lore and forgotten secrets of the multi-user domain?
Will you design and build your own games, tools, or cryptic puzzles, becoming a renowned Weaver whose creations are sought by others?
Will you build a name for yourself as a trusted voice, a data trafficker, or simply the host of the most exclusive social hubs on the net?
Will you build a corporate empire, discover and exploit security flaws, or become a notorious con artist who scams rivals out of their fortunes?
The choice is yours. But first, we'll give you the tools of the trade. A guiding hand will walk you through the fundamentals, ensuring you're fully equipped to make your mark on the system.
LIVE THE 90s HACKER FANTASY
This is pure retro-futuristic immersion. The unique interface pulls you into the fantasy, while the deep, atmospheric soundtrack by legendary composers Lena Raine (Celeste, Minecraft) and Ryan Ike (West of Loathing, Gunpoint) makes the abandoned net feel alive, dangerous, and full of secrets.
A DEEP, PERSISTENT WORLD, DEFINED BY YOUR ACTIONS
Explore a persistent world where player-run corporations, underground economies, and shifting alliances are the content. Your actions create lasting change, from destroying the market to uncovering bizarre lore and puzzles that have been unsolved for a decade. This is a world with real stakes and real depth, shaped by its community.
YOUR REPUTATION IS EVERYTHING
Success in hackmud isn't measured in levels, but in influence. Your reputation is your most valuable asset. Will you be known as a trustworthy system builder, a fearsome data thief, or an untraceable digital ghost? Master subterfuge, forge alliances, and betray rivals… every interaction contributes to the legend you build.
A FOOTHOLD IN THE CHAOS
The marks system provides a guided, hands-on onboarding experience so you don’t have to worry about being a fresh face in a den of veteran hackers. It will teach you the basics and build the foundation you'll need to survive, compete, and ultimately thrive.
YOUR CURIOSITY IS THE ONLY PREREQUISITE
Your journey starts by wielding scripts from other players: a taste of magic that invites you to look under the hood. This curiosity is how hackmud creates coders, often from players who have never written a line of code before.
