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Start playing in 3 steps

1

Visit OpenFront.io

Navigate to OpenFront.io in any modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari).No downloads or installations required - the game runs entirely in your browser.
2

Create your account (optional)

While you can play as a guest, creating an account lets you:
  • Save your statistics and game history
  • Earn achievements and track progress
  • Customize your profile with flags and cosmetics
  • Access user profiles and replays
Click the account creation button and follow the registration flow.
Guest players can still enjoy the full gameplay experience, but progress won’t be saved between sessions.
3

Join or create a game

Choose your game mode:
  • Public lobbies: Join ongoing games with other players
  • Quick match: Get matched into a game immediately
  • Private lobby: Create a custom game with specific settings
Select a map from the available options (Europe, Asia, Africa, Americas, and more).

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Your first game

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Basic controls

  • Click and drag: Select and move units
  • Right-click: Quick actions and attack commands
  • Attack hotkeys: Use keyboard shortcuts for faster unit deployment
  • Boat hotkey: Quickly build naval units
  • Radial menu: Multi-level menu for building structures

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Early game strategy

1

Expand your territory

Click adjacent territories to expand your borders. Prioritize:
  • High-value land areas
  • Coastal regions for port access
  • Strategic chokepoints
2

Build your first city

Cities generate gold and serve as spawn points. Place them in:
  • Central locations for defense
  • Areas you want to protect
  • Regions with growth potential
3

Consider early alliances

Use the alliance system to form temporary truces:
  • Click on another player’s territory
  • Propose an alliance for mutual defense
  • Coordinate against larger threats
Alliances can be broken at any time. Watch for betrayal alerts (red frame) if an ally turns on you.

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Mid-game progression

Resource management
  • Build ports on coastal territories to generate trade income
  • Trade ships are capped at 150, but each port increases gold per trade
  • Balance expansion speed with defensive structures
Military strategy
  • Deploy warships to control sea routes
  • Warships prioritize enemy transport ships over other warships
  • Build SAM launchers to defend against nuclear attacks
Structure upgrades
  • Cities, ports, SAMs, and silos can be upgraded for better performance
  • Use the multi-level radial menu to access upgrade options
  • Building discounts can only be used once per type

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Late game tactics

Nuclear warfare
  • Build missile silos to launch long-range nukes
  • MIRVs split into multiple warheads for area damage
  • SAMs only target nukes threatening nearby areas
  • AI-controlled SAMs avoid targeting nukes near their launchers
Naval dominance
  • Warships reload instantly after destroying transport ships
  • Control key waterways to block enemy expansion
  • Boat build discounts scale with the number of units you own
Experimental features (private lobbies only)
  • Build factories to spawn trains and create railroad networks
  • Railroads can form loops for efficient transport
  • Choose factory as your unit type to enable train mechanics

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Game modes explained

Free-for-all

Classic battle royale where every player competes independently. Form temporary alliances, but remember: there can only be one winner.

Duos, Trios, Quads

Team-based modes where you’re permanently allied with 1-3 other players. Coordinate strategies and share resources.

Private lobbies

Create custom games with configurable settings:
  • Choose specific maps
  • Enable experimental features (trains, factories)
  • Set player limits and game rules

Single player

Practice against AI bots with optimized behavior. Perfect for learning game mechanics and testing strategies.

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Tips for success

Expand wisely: Don’t overextend early. Rapid expansion leaves you vulnerable to coordinated attacks.
Watch the leaderboard: Track top players and identify threats. The reworked UI provides better visual clarity.
Use quick chat: Communicate with allies using the quick chat system (QuickChat.json). Coordinate attacks and warn about betrayals.
Unique player colors: The game uses unique color mixing to help distinguish between players, especially in games with many participants.

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Common questions

How do replays work? Finished games can be replayed through the game history. Unfinished games cannot be replayed. Can I change my flag/cosmetics? Yes, registered users can customize their profile with different flags and cosmetic options. What are flares used for? Flares are a signaling system to communicate positions or threats to allies. How do I report inappropriate usernames? The game includes username censoring and management. Report issues through the in-game reporting system.

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Next steps

View the changelog

Check out new features in version 24, including trains, upgradable structures, and team modes

Join the community

Connect with other players and share strategies on Discord

Developer documentation

Interested in contributing? Set up a local development environment

Help translate

Join the translation Discord and help localize OpenFront