Writing Games highlights Federation 2 CE, a player-run revival of a space trading classic

Jonathan “Cosmo” shares how the community brought the 30-year-old galactic economy simulator back online - and why collaboration remains its beating heart

Online - June 29, 2025-- Writing Games, a site dedicated to the culture and craft of text-based roleplaying games, has published an interview with Jonathan “Cosmo,” one of the volunteers behind Federation 2 Community Edition (F2CE), a player-run revival of the long-running space trading game Federation 2.

Jonathan AKA Cosmo talks about the community-led revival of Federation 2.

Originally launched in the early 1990s, Federation 2 combined interstellar trade, politics, and cooperative economics in a shared text world. When the official servers shut down in 2018, a small group of dedicated players secured permission to restore the code and relaunch the game under community management.

“F2CE is a galaxy of player-built planets and businesses that only works when people collaborate,” Jonathan said in the interview. “You’ll always do better by working together - that’s what makes it so special.”

Since its relaunch, the team has modernized the game to support current protocols and accessibility standards, adding features like GMCP, MCCP, and navigation tools for screen reader users. Veteran players can even reclaim their old systems and ranks, preserving decades of history while helping new captains get started.

The conversation also touches on the challenges of maintaining a 30-year-old codebase, supporting vintage clients, and balancing creative freedom with technical stability. Jonathan shares upcoming plans for web-based builder tools, a Mudlet starter package, and the potential addition of a new Syndicrat rank beyond the current Plutocrat level.

“What stood out to me was how much heart goes into keeping this world alive,” said Andruid, creator of Writing Games. “Jonathan and the team aren’t just preserving a classic - they’re evolving it with care and humor.”

The full interview, “Federation 2 Community Edition: from hauling cargo to shaping the galaxy,” is available on Writing Games.

Pullquote from the interview.