Spiritual Successor

The Spiritual Successor
to TradeWars 2002

TradeWars 2002 defined an era of BBS gaming. Sectorum carries that legacy forward — with a modern graphical UI, a persistent multiplayer galaxy, and the same strategic depth that made TW2002 legendary. Built with the blessing of the original creator.

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Sectorum carries the explicit blessing of John Pritchett, creator of TradeWars 2002, to describe itself as "inspired by TradeWars" and a "spiritual successor." We built this the right way.

The Heritage

TradeWars 2002 wasn't just a game — it was a community, an ecosystem, and for many players, the defining online experience of the 1980s and 90s.

In its heyday, TradeWars 2002 ran on thousands of BBS systems around the world. It had sectors to explore, ports to trade at, planets to colonize, corporations to form, and enemies to destroy. It was ferociously strategic and deeply social — the precursor to everything we now call an MMO.

But the BBS era ended. TradeWars 2002 faded — not because it was bad, but because the infrastructure it ran on disappeared. Telnet clients became niche. BBS systems went offline. The game never made the jump to the modern web.

For years, anyone who searched for "modern TradeWars" or "play TradeWars online" found only dead links, Wikipedia articles, and forum threads from 2016 saying "nothing like this really exists anymore."

Sectorum is the answer to those forum threads.

What Makes Sectorum the True Successor

Same Galaxy Structure

1000+ sectors connected by warps. Explore, colonize, and defend the same type of persistent galaxy that made TW2002 addictive.

Same Trading Loop

Buy and sell commodities at ports. Build trade routes. Watch the galactic economy shift as other players make their moves.

Same Colonization

Claim uninhabited planets, build colonies, and generate passive income. Strategic planet control is just as powerful as it ever was.

Same Corporation Warfare

Form corporations with other players. Pool resources. Coordinate attacks. Dominate through collective strategy.

Modern Graphical UI

Everything above — delivered through a modern Flutter web interface instead of an ANSI text terminal. No telnet. No BBS client. Just your browser.

New: Crew System

Recruit crew members with unique skills. RPG progression layered on the classic TradeWars formula — something the original never had.

The Original Inspired It. Sectorum Delivers It.

Free to play. No download. No pay-to-win. Just the strategy.

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Learn More

TradeWars Remake Page

The full story, with side-by-side visuals and FAQ.

Feature Comparison

Every mechanic compared side by side.

Beginner's Guide

Start here if you're new to Sectorum.