Ninelives: The Abandoned MMO Causing A Stir
Originally known as Project Kyrill, Ninelives is an open-world online RPG designed around exploration, item collection, and skill progression. Developer SmokymonkeyS aimed to create a game where players could immerse themselves in discovery, battle, and adventure at their own relaxed pace.
The game’s first closed alpha launched in October 2015, however, by October 2016, development was officially suspended due to a lack of player support and insufficient funding, which ultimately drained the motivation to continue the project.
Despite this, a final version of Ninelives was uploaded to the official website in February 2019, where it remains available for download. A small but dedicated group of players surprisingly still engage with the game to this day.
Screenshot from the official website.
Although it’s still possible to create an account and log in, Ninelives is now a solo experience. It's an empty world inhabited only by a handful of NPCs, with vast areas left unfinished but still open to explore. In my opinion this abandoned state of the game only adds to it's charm. The hazy atmosphere has a sense of melancholy yet envokes a deep sense of nostalgia and wanderlust.
For me, despite never having played the game before, it felt oddly familiar. After finally experiencing it firsthand, I only found myself wishing I had discovered it sooner. I used to spend countless hours playing every free-to-play MMO I could find, titles like Rappelz, Shaiya, Forsaken World, Runes of Magic, Wizardry Online, and many more that have since been forgotten with time.
I only came across Ninelives recently, thanks to a YouTube video by eurothug4000. The video is just over 20 minutes long, but not even halfway through it, I already felt like I had missed out on a beautiful experience, and so I began looking into playing the game myself.
A portion of the map of Novemica, the world within Ninelives, taken from the official website.
Euro’s video, posted in mid-December 2024, seems to have sparked a renewed interest in the game, causing a stir in its small community. A dedicated Discord server exists, though it’s unclear how long it has been around, though it may have been created around the same time, but I'm not 100% certain. There is a link to join the discord on the official Ninelives webpage however.
When I joined the Discord, I browsed through the chat while waiting for the game to install. It quickly became clear that many players were struggling with technical issues. Some reported login failures, while others could only play for 10 to 15 minutes before losing connection. I encountered my own difficulties when trying to create an account, as I never received a confirmation email.
At the time, some in the community speculated that the server was under a DDoS attack, though whether that was true remains uncertain to me. It’s possible the sudden influx of players overwhelmed the servers, making it difficult for anyone to log in. However, I couldn’t help but wonder—could a veteran player, frustrated by the sudden wave of newcomers, have instigated the attack to deter them?
Of course, this is purely speculation. What is certain, though, is that some long-time players resented the surge of interest. I saw comments in the Discord expressing sympathy for those who had been there before, claiming that the new players were “ruining” the experience. While this kind of gatekeeping mentality isn’t surprising, a DDoS attack (if it really happened) would be a rather extreme reaction.
Regardless, the Discord community ballooned from around 30 members to nearly 500 in the span of a month. The server’s owner even had to temporarily suspend invites to manage the unexpected growth—an unusual turn of events for a game that has been officially abandoned for over a decade. Some longtime members were also frustrated that the server had turned into a support hub for technical issues rather than a place for discussion about the game itself.
Things have since appeared to settle down, and I’ve now had the chance to put several hours into Ninelives myself. The game’s music and ambiance are absolutely beautiful. I know I’ll eventually reach the end of what little content exists, but for now, I’m going to enjoy the adventure while appreciating it for what it is and longing for what it could have been.
Screenshot taken from within the game.
If you’d like to learn more about Ninelives, you can read a interview with the developer from eurothug4000 by clicking the link below.
Article Author: Bonny Abomination
Contact: Bonny@Maelstromhold.com
