The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind: 5 Open Source Clones Compared
OpenMW is a from-scratch reimplementation of the Morrowind engine that still requires an existing copy of the game, and its README notes that OpenMW's stricter script compiler can cause mods that relied on the original engine's quirks or bugs to stop working correctly. TES3MP is a fork of OpenMW that adds online multiplayer through serverside Lua scripts, though AI and clientside script-variable synchronization remain incomplete. OpenMW for Android is a separate port of the same engine to Android, but it is no longer under development and only old builds remain available.
Comparison table
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Windows, Linux, OSX
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Active
- Last updated
- today
- Stars
- 935
- Contributors
- 83
- License
- gpl-3.0+
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- YesYou must own and have the original Morrowind game installed to play it with OpenMW.
- Modding support
- YesSupports pre-existing modifications created for the original Morrowind engine, though compatibility is hit-and-miss depending on mod design.
- Multiplayer
- —
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Windows
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Halted
- Last updated
- 2y ago
- Stars
- 868
- Contributors
- 352
- License
- GPL-3.0
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- YesRequires The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind game files to run, as it is an OpenMW fork that adds multiplayer functionality.
- Modding support
- YesServerside Lua script system for extensive customization of player, NPC, world, and quest synchronization.
- Multiplayer
- Online
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Android
- Play in browser
- YesPlay in Browser
- Mobile
- Android
Project health
- Development status
- Archived
- Last updated
- 5y ago
- Stars
- 360
- Contributors
- 10
- License
- GPL-3.0
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- YesRequires the original Morrowind game to be installed to play.
- Modding support
- —
- Multiplayer
- —
Availability
- Status
- Unplayable
- Platforms
- Windows
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Not tracked
- Last updated
- Not tracked
- Stars
- Not tracked
- Contributors
- Not tracked
- License
- Not tracked
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- —
- Modding support
- —
- Multiplayer
- —
Availability
- Status
- Semi-playable
- Platforms
- Windows
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Not tracked
- Last updated
- Not tracked
- Stars
- Not tracked
- Contributors
- Not tracked
- License
- Not tracked
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- —
- Modding support
- —
- Multiplayer
- —
| Title | OpenMW | TES3MP | OpenMW for Android | The Crystal Scrolls | Project Aedra |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Playable | Playable | Playable | Unplayable | Semi-playable |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux, OSX | Windows | Android | Windows | Windows |
| Play in browser | No | No | YesPlay in Browser | No | No |
| Mobile | No | No | Android | No | No |
| Project health | |||||
| Development status | Active | Halted | Archived | Not tracked | Not tracked |
| Last updated | today | 2y ago | 5y ago | Not tracked | Not tracked |
| Stars | 935 | 868 | 360 | Not tracked | Not tracked |
| Contributors | 83 | 352 | 10 | Not tracked | Not tracked |
| License | gpl-3.0+ | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 | Not tracked | Not tracked |
| Compatibility | |||||
| Requires original assets | YesYou must own and have the original Morrowind game installed to play it with OpenMW. | YesRequires The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind game files to run, as it is an OpenMW fork that adds multiplayer functionality. | YesRequires the original Morrowind game to be installed to play. | — | — |
| Modding support | YesSupports pre-existing modifications created for the original Morrowind engine, though compatibility is hit-and-miss depending on mod design. | YesServerside Lua script system for extensive customization of player, NPC, world, and quest synchronization. | — | — | — |
| Multiplayer | — | Online | — | — | — |
| Preview | | | | |
Known limitations
- compatibility: The OpenMW script compiler performs more thorough error-checking than the original Morrowind, causing some mods created for Morrowind may not run in OpenMW.
- compatibility: Some mods rely on quirky behavior or engine bugs in the original game to work, which may not function in OpenMW.
- gameplay: AI and clientside script variable synchronization remain incomplete; script variables need manual whitelisting to avoid packet spam.
- development: No longer under development; old builds are available from the Releases tab.
Frequently asked questions
Are the The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind clones on this page open source?
Yes — every clone catalogued here is an open-source project. Availability, license, and development-status details for each one are listed in the comparison table above.
What license do these The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind clones use?
OpenMW (gpl-3.0+); TES3MP and OpenMW for Android (GPL-3.0).
Do I need to own the original The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind to play these clones?
OpenMW, TES3MP, and OpenMW for Android require original game assets to play.
Can I play any of these The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind clones directly in a browser?
Yes — OpenMW for Android has a browser-playable build linked in the comparison table above, no install required.
Which The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind clone is the most actively maintained?
OpenMW is currently under active development, based on recent commit activity. See the "Development status" row above for every clone's current status.
See the full write-up for each clone, or go back to The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.