PBEMGS

Deep turn-based strategy games, delivered straight to your inbox. No apps. No timers. Just you, your brain, and someone on the other side of the planet.

PBEMGS

Play-by-Email Game Server
Async strategy for tactical turtles

No apps. No logins after signup. Just pure, deep games that wait patiently for your move — whether that’s 5 minutes or 2 days.

Why play by email in 2025?

  • Think as long as you want — minutes or days between turns
  • Zero battery drain, zero notifications, zero dark patterns
  • Play from any device that can send email (yes, even a 1998 Nokia if you’re dedicated)
  • Match up with people across time zones without ever coordinating schedules

The Library (8 games live and growing)

Game GaneName Vibe Players Notes
Ninetac ninetac Nine tic-tac-toe boards at once 2 Deeper than it sounds
Ataxx ataxx Infection-style territory war 2 or 4 Fast, vicious, elegant
Surge surge Async real-time strategy with liquid force 2-8 HTML email required — gorgeous
Lines of Action loa Connect your pieces with dynamic leaps 2 A forgotten abstract masterpiece
GoMoku gomoku Classic 5-in-a-row 2 Simple rules, infinite depth
Triad Cubed triad Strategic best-of-three card capture 2 Balanced FF8 Triple Triad matches
Ironclad ironclad Two games on one board 2 Robots + Go stones = chaos
Collapsi collapsi Grid that collapses behind your pawn 2 Trap your opponent or die trying
Tic-Tac-Toe tac Guided tutorial – Introduction to the system

More brewing in the lab right now.

How to start playing in under 2 minutes

  1. Create your account
    Email → pbemgs@angryturtlestudios.com
    Subject: create_account YourHandle

  2. Browse open games
    Subject: open_games (or open_games surge, etc.)

  3. Jump in
    Subject: join_game ninetac 123
    …or create your own with create_game loa

  4. Make moves
    Just reply to the turn email. The format is always in the email (or ask rules ninetac).

That’s literally it.

The “async” details

  • Most games wait forever for your turn (within reason)
  • Surge ticks at preset times each day on a fixed schedule — like a slow, delicious heartbeat
  • Gentle 24-hour nudge, 3-day auto-random-move if life happens (no hard feelings)

Tech requirements

Any email client that can display fixed-width text.
Bonus points if it handles Unicode and HTML color (Surge and Triad look spectacular).

Not sure? Just send test_display — we’ll show you what you’re missing.

Cost?

100 % free.
No ads, no premium tiers, no nonsense.
If you love it and want to buy me a coffee, send feedback — I’ll tell you how.

Need help?

  • To learn about the system: email a subject of info to pbemgs@angryturtlestudios.com
  • For help about available commands: email a subject of help to the same address
  • For rules for a specific game (even if not registered): email a subject of rules GameName to the same address (GameName is in the table above)

PBEMGS — Strategy without schedule pressure.
Take your turn when you’re ready.
Sharpen your mind.
Conquer… eventually.

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