What it is
PewPewPew is a free browser-based multiplayer space dogfight where you pilot a small ship against up to 31 other players. It runs in the browser on both desktop and mobile, with no download and no account required. Pick a name, press Play, and you are flying in a live room.
From the developer
In the developer’s own words, from pewpewpew.io.
I have been building realtime multiplayer games that run in a browser since 1999 and my latest is pewpewpew.io which combines everything I know about doing this well. The game uses a fully client and server synchronized state machine running at 60hz with rollback / rollforward on both client and server. During normal play only user input is transmitted using a compressed message format, where input is 7 fields in 2 bytes, with a total of about 26KB/s used for a room with 32 active players. Users are automatically distributed into a room on a server with the lowest measured ping where there are other players playing. Currently running using cloudflare Durable Objects, but I expect to offload it to dedicated metal should the cost go above $500 / month. Current monthly cost sits at about $300 per 1K average CCU. Works on mobile, free to play, no ads, no signup.
Editor takes
“Quick free-for-all rounds with bots and variable power-ups keep things samey but the 'one more round' hook is real.”
“At 60hz with rollback the controls feel tight and snappy, but the drift-on-a-dime ships demand precise handling.”
How to play
Fly using the arrow keys or WASD and fire with Space; on a phone, use the on-screen stick and the FIRE and USE buttons. Shoot other pilots to raise your score, which is kills minus deaths. Your life bar regenerates over time, and rocks can be used as cover or shot apart.
Tips
- Shoot the smallest rocks apart—they may drop power-ups like Double Shot, Health, or Shield.
- Use rocks as cover while your life bar grows back.
- Keep an eye on your power-up slot and use Health or Shield before you really need them.
- Score is kills minus deaths, so staying alive matters as much as getting kills.
- Press Tab during a match to check the scoreboard.
Questions
Is PewPewPew free?
Yes. It is free to play in the browser, with no ads and no account needed.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes. On a phone you fly with an on-screen stick and use the FIRE and USE buttons.
Can I play with friends?
Yes. Press Play with friends, choose the room rules, and send the link; friends join your room from the link.
How many players can be in one room?
Up to 32 pilots. Open rooms also include bots so there is always someone to fight, and each player who joins takes a bot's seat.
How is the score counted?
Your score is kills minus deaths.
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