Morrowind runs in web browsers via OpenMW-Web
The open‑source engine OpenMW has been compiled to WebAssembly, creating the OpenMW‑Web project that lets Bethesda’s 2002 RPG The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind run directly in a desktop browser. The code executes locally – there is no video‑streaming or remote server – and accesses the player’s own legally owned Morrowind data files through the browser’s File System Access API. A small demo island is provided for users without the original files.
The port works best in Chromium‑based browsers such as Chrome, Edge and Brave, supports gamepad input, and stores settings and save files in IndexedDB, allowing them to be copied or archived. The project was announced by Reddit user Dumpster_Buddy, who used the OpenMW engine, and was reported by Eurogamer and Digital Foundry. The source code is publicly available on GitHub under the name OpenMW‑Web.
Entities: Bethesda Softworks · Dumpster_Buddy · OpenMW · OpenMW · OpenMW-Web · The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind · Virtastic · WebAssembly
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The mod includes a small sample world that can be used as a quick distraction. (ac80874e-60b2-4605-ae77-159f5057f495, 67feaa8b-5d55-4eba-819d-421051e599bc)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Reddit user Dumpster_Buddy created a browser version of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind using the OpenMW engine compiled to WebAssembly. (ac80874e-60b2-4605-ae77-159f5057f495, 67feaa8b-5d55-4eba-819d-421051e599bc)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The browser port runs without a traditional installer or launcher, but still requires the original Morrowind game files on the system. (ac80874e-60b2-4605-ae77-159f5057f495, 67feaa8b-5d55-4eba-819d-421051e599bc)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Players can save progress and use a gamepad while playing Morrowind in the browser. (ac80874e-60b2-4605-ae77-159f5057f495, 67feaa8b-5d55-4eba-819d-421051e599bc)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Eurogamer reported on the Morrowind browser port. (ac80874e-60b2-4605-ae77-159f5057f495, 67feaa8b-5d55-4eba-819d-421051e599bc)
- [● 6 SOURCES] The browser version runs locally without streaming from a server. (OpenMW-Web)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Reddit user Dumpster_Buddy announced the port and Eurogamer reported on it. (Eurogamer)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The browser version works best in Chromium‑based browsers such as Chrome, Edge and Brave. (OpenMW-Web)
- [● 3 SOURCES] A small demo island with NPCs is included for users without the full game files. (OpenMW-Web)
- [● 6 SOURCES] The project is called OpenMW-Web and its source code is hosted on GitHub. (OpenMW-Web)
- [● 6 SOURCES] The OpenMW engine was compiled to WebAssembly enabling Morrowind to run in a web browser. (OpenMW-Web)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Game saves and settings are stored in IndexedDB and can be copied or archived. (OpenMW-Web)