Questions before you enter
Ten honest answers. Where something does not exist yet, this page says so rather than describing what we intend to build.
Everything people ask
Still stuck? The getting started guide walks through your first ten minutes, and you can write to us.
Is Habitat 2D a game or a chat room?
It is a persistent social virtual world. There are games, an economy and things to collect, but conversation, identity and shared places are the centre of the experience.
Is Habitat 2D designed for adults?
It is written and designed primarily for adults who enjoy social worlds, pixel art and slower online communities. The minimum age for an account is thirteen, and we ask for a date of birth at registration to hold that line.
Does it run on mobile?
Habitat 2D runs in a current desktop browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge — with a mouse and keyboard. It has not been tested on phones or tablets, so we are not going to promise it works on one yet.
How much does it cost?
Nothing, for as long as Habitat 2D is in beta: registration is free, there is no subscription, and there is nothing to buy with real money. Tokens are the in-world currency and they are earned inside the world, not sold. It may not always be free — running a world costs money — and if that changes it will be said plainly and in advance rather than sprung on anybody.
Is Habitat 2D finished?
No, and the band at the top of every page says so. It is in beta: the world is live and people are in it, but rooms, items and whole features are still being added and changed, and some of them will change again. Beta is also why the answer above is "nothing, for now" rather than "nothing, ever".
How do tokens work?
Tokens are the in-world currency. Your account opens with a welcome grant, and you earn more for every whole hour you spend in the world. Keep them in the bank or carry a stack with you, and spend them in shops, on rent and in games that take a stake.
Can I trade items?
You can hold, wear, give, store and place items. Giving is one-way and immediate — there is no two-party trading window — and anything you are finished with can go to a recycling bin for a few tokens back. Selling items or tokens for real money is not allowed and costs every account involved.
Can I decorate my own home?
Yes. Rent a turf, choose wall colours and arrange scenery and furniture to create your own place inside the world.
Can I message friends privately?
Yes. ESP sends a private message to another resident wherever they are, and a short friends list keeps the people you talk to most within one click of the To: box.
How are community problems handled?
Anybody can page a helper from inside the world, and it reaches whichever staff are on duty along with the room you are in. Guardians can come to you, move somebody, or banish an account outright, and every one of those acts is written to a log with the name of the person who did it. If you think a decision was wrong, page a helper and ask for an overseer to look at it. There is no block or ignore list yet.