Community-Run Org Would Like Daybreak To Help Them Keep Infantry Online Alive

In what feels like one of the most optimistic moves in the gaming world, Free Infantry, a non-profit community centered around the old SOE online isometric shooter Infantry Online, has written an open letter to Daybreak Game Company asking for assistance with keeping the game alive. Technically, the game has not been supported by Daybreak or its former iteration Sony Online Entertainment since early 2012. Instead, a small -- and apparently hard working -- group of fans have been doing their best to keep the game running. Known as Free Infantry, the community has been supporting the game on their own servers, including covering all the operating costs. And, according to Free Infantry, the game's player base continues to grow as fans rediscover it.

Unfortunately -- according to an open letter addressed to Daybreak, Free Infantry is struggling a bit with some of the more technical aspects of keeping the game alive. The client that the game currently runs on is the original Infantry Online client. This means that as Windows is continually updated, they encounter more compatibility issues. The only way to fix this is to maintain and update the client, rather than just finding work-arounds. The Free Infantry team also notes that they'd like to be able to list the game on Steam in order to make more people aware of it.

In order to do either of these things, Free Infantry is going to need Daybreak's blessing. They're hoping that the company will look at their project the same way they did with the EverQuest Classic project Project 1999 and work out some sort of agreement that the company can live with while ensuring the game is around for players to enjoy for some time.

If you'd like to read the letter in full, you can find it on the Free Infantry site.