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Since launch, PlayVersusAI has been about one thing: playing classic games against a smart computer opponent. Today that changes. We have added real-time online multiplayer to every turn-based game on the site — thirteen games in total — so you can now play against another person, live, with moves traveling between screens in real time.

What is included

All twelve strategy board games plus Crazy Eights now support player-vs-player multiplayer:

• Chess
• Checkers
• Connect 4
• Reversi
• Mancala
• Gomoku
• Ultimate Tic-Tac-Toe
• Dots and Boxes
• Nine Men's Morris
• Backgammon
• Battleship
• Hex
• Crazy Eights

How it works

Go to the Multiplayer Lobby, pick a game, and press Start. Your game appears in the public lobby list. When someone joins, both players are taken to the board and the match begins immediately. Moves are transmitted in real time — there is no page reloading, no waiting for updates, and no delay beyond normal network latency.

Features

Optional move timers. Matches can be created with no timer, or with a 30-second or 60-second per-move limit. If the timer runs out, the game is forfeited to the player still at the board. This prevents the common problem of an opponent walking away mid-game.

Password protection. You can add a password when creating a game. The match still appears in the lobby (marked with a lock icon), but only someone who knows the password can join. This is useful when you want to play a specific friend without random players taking the seat.

Replay recording. Multiplayer games are recorded with full move histories. After a match, both players can review it in the Replays section, step through every move, and study what happened. PvP replays are tagged so you can filter them separately from AI games.

Leaderboard integration. Multiplayer wins and losses count toward the leaderboard, exactly like games against the AI. The difficulty column shows "Player vs Player" so you can see which results came from human opponents.

Why an account is needed

Multiplayer requires a free account. Single-player games still work without one, but a live match needs two identifiable players — someone to hold the seat, someone to track the result against. Registration takes an email address and nothing else.

What is next

This is the first version of multiplayer. We are actively working on ranked matchmaking, friend lists, and spectator mode. If you have ideas or run into issues, let us know on the contact page.

In the meantime, go challenge someone. The lobby is open.