Get Started with Open Historia
Play the free open-source grand strategy game directly in your browser — no download, install, or account required.
Play on the Web
The easiest way to play Open Historia is right here on the website. Just visit openhistoria.com — the game loads instantly in your browser and you can start commanding nations on the interactive world map.
There's nothing to download, no account to create, and no setup required. All your games and scenarios are stored locally in your browser.
Quick Start Guide
Open any modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari) and navigate to openhistoria.com. The game's main menu appears immediately.
From the main menu you can:
- New Game — start a single-player session of the Modern Day scenario
- Load Game — resume a saved game stored in your browser
- Community — browse and download scenarios from the Scenario Hub
- Multiplayer — create a lobby and share the link so others can join
Click any country on the world map to select it. A nation panel opens with options for diplomacy, troop deployment, economy, and more.
Negotiate with AI nations through natural language chat, deploy armies, respond to dynamic events, and consult your AI advisor. When ready, end your turn to see how the world reacts.
Playing with Friends
Multiplayer is built right in — no separate server setup needed when playing on the openhistoria.com instance:
- Create a lobby: From the main menu, click Multiplayer and start a new game. A joinable link is generated.
- Share the link: Send it to friends — they open it in their browser and join immediately. No accounts needed.
- Play together: Each player controls their chosen nation. Turns are processed simultaneously and everyone sees the results together.
For private games or offline play, check the self-hosting guide to run your own server.
Browser Features
- Works everywhere: Play on desktop, tablet, or phone — any device with a browser
- Auto-save: Your game is saved automatically in your browser's local storage
- Scenario Hub: Browse and import community scenarios directly from the in-game Community tab
- AI features: If you connect an AI backend, diplomacy, events, and the advisor work in-browser too
Next Steps
- How to Play — complete gameplay guide for new players
- Connect an AI Backend — enable AI diplomacy, events, and advisor
- Self-Hosting Guide — run your own server for friends or offline play