By Sagar V. Mankar 
Popular free-to-play browser game Urban Dead will shut down on March 14, 2025, just a few months short of its 20th anniversary. The closure comes as a direct result of the UK’s new Online Safety Act.
Developer Kevan Davis announced the difficult decision in a statement to players, explaining that the upcoming legislation makes it impossible for small independent projects like Urban Dead to continue operating.
“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,” Davis explained. With potential fines designed for large corporations now threatening even solo developers, Davis felt he had no choice but to end the game’s long run.
For those unfamiliar, the Online Safety Act was enacted on October 26, 2023, and is being phased in throughout 2025, with key provisions taking effect on March 17. The legislation requires online platforms to assess and mitigate risks related to illegal content—such as child sexual abuse material and terrorist content—while also protecting minors from harmful material, including content that promotes self-harm or eating disorders. Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, has been granted the authority to enforce the law, imposing penalties of up to £18 million or 10% of a provider’s global annual revenue, whichever is greater.
For a free-to-play game like Urban Dead, which likely has minimal revenue, even a small fine could be catastrophic. The law doesn’t scale penalties based on a provider’s size or income, meaning a solo developer faces the same theoretical maximum as a tech giant like Meta.
First launched in 2005, the zombie survival text MMO has built a dedicated player community, with users spending nearly two decades navigating the fictional city of Malton, forming alliances, and strategizing in its browser-based world.
Unlike many game closures, there won’t be any special in-game events to mark the end. “No grand finale. No final catastrophe. No helicopter evac,” Davis added. Instead, he encouraged players to “make your peace or your final stand in whichever part of Malton you called home.”
Even after the game goes offline, its wiki will remain available in read-only mode, preserving the history and knowledge built over the years. Davis also promised that any potential future revival of Urban Dead would be announced on the game’s website.
As a final gesture of goodwill, the developer offered to refund any donations made for in-game unlocks during the past six months, acknowledging that the shutdown was unexpected.