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Meridian 59 cover art
Meridian 59. Meridian 59 artwork, via IGDB. Unofficial site, not affiliated with the publisher.
PC port · Windows → PC

Meridian 59 (open-source client and server of the 1996 MMORPG)

The source code of Meridian 59 (1996), one of the first 3D MMORPGs, released by its creators: client, server, game code and tools. The game is still played on servers run from meridian59.com.

WorkingSource portNeeds your own copyUpdated

You need your own copy of Meridian 59. This port only runs with files from a copy you own; there is no download or play button here. No copy? These play in your browser right away, no files needed: BO1 Zombies (vel.gg), GTA 3 Online (quenq III Web), The Simpsons: Hit & Run WASM.

What you need

To play, the client from meridian59.com, which connects to the community servers. To build from source, Visual Studio on Windows; the game content (art, rooms, audio) is not in the repository.

GitHub repository ↗

We do not host any files. Only download from the project's official source.

Every version of Meridian 59 1

  1. Meridian 59 (open-source client and server of the 1996 MMORPG)This page

    WorkingSource port

    The MMORPG Meridian 59

    Runs on WindowsNeeds files from a copy you own★ 522Last change Oct 31, 2026

    Website ↗

We link to each project's own page and host no game files. Version data from project pages, our daily checks and awesome-decomp-games (CC0).

Short answer

Meridian 59 (1996), one of the first 3D online role-playing games, has had its client and server source code released by its original creators, and the game is still played online through meridian59.com. The repository holds the code and tools, not the game content.

This site is not affiliated with Meridian 59, Andrew or Chris Kirmse, or the original publishers. We do not host any files and only link the project’s official pages.

What it is

Meridian 59 launched in 1996 from Archetype Interactive and 3DO, often called the first commercial 3D MMORPG. Its original developers later regained it and released the source.

The Meridian59 repository contains “the source to the client, server, game code, Blakod compiler, room editor, and all associated tools” (Meridian 59 README). The licence requires anyone redistributing the code to share their source, and “does not cover the game content (artwork, rooms, audio, etc.), which are not included”. The name Meridian is a registered trademark.

Current status

  • The game: online, with servers and the client offered on the official site, which highlights classic gameplay since 1996, PvP against outlaws and murderers, and player-run justice.
  • The code: maintained, last updated on 31 October 2026.

How to play

  1. Go to meridian59.com and download the client.
  2. Create an account on a server and start playing.

For developers

Build the code with Microsoft Visual Studio on Windows, as the README describes. Running your own server needs the game content in addition to the code.

FAQ

Can you still play Meridian 59?

Yes. The official site, meridian59.com, offers the client and community servers, and describes a world evolving since 1996 with player-versus-player combat and player-driven justice.

Is Meridian 59 open source?

The code is. Its original creators, Andrew and Chris Kirmse, released the client, server, game code, Blakod compiler, room editor and tools. The licence does not cover the game content such as artwork, rooms and audio, which are not in the repository.

Can I run my own Meridian 59 server?

The server source is included, so you can build and run one for development or a private world. You still need the game content, which is not part of the repository.

What do I need to build Meridian 59?

The README says it builds with Microsoft Visual Studio on Windows. Audio uses OpenAL Soft, whose prebuilt binaries are included.

Unofficial. This page is written by an independent directory. It is not made by, endorsed by or affiliated with The 3DO Company (developed by Archetype Interactive) or Andrew Kirmse, Chris Kirmse and Meridian 59 contributors (Meridian 59 (open-source client and server of the 1996 MMORPG)'s author). We do not host any files, and we never link to game files, ROMs or ISOs.

Sources

This page was last updated on Nov 3, 2026. A date after a source is the day we read it. Versions and steps follow the official project; if they differ, the official source wins.

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