Toontown Rewritten facts for kids
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| Developer | Toons of the World Foundation |
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| Type | Massively multiplayer online role-playing game |
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| Current version | ttr-live-v4.4.0  / June 27, 2026 |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, MacOS and Linux |
| Status | Active |
| Members | >2,000,000 |
| Pricing model | Free |
Toontown Rewritten is a free online game made by fans. It is a recreation of the original Toontown Online game, which closed down. A group called the Toons of the World Foundation keeps the game running. This non-profit organization wants to make sure the game stays alive for everyone to enjoy.
The game first became available for players to test in a special version on September 19, 2014. It then fully launched on September 1, 2017. Since it started, over 2 million players have joined Toontown Rewritten.
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How Toontown Rewritten Was Made
Work on Toontown Rewritten started right after the original game, Toontown Online, announced it was closing in 2013. The main person leading the project, Joey Ziolkowski, was only 15 years old at the time. He worked on the game from his home in Princess Anne, Maryland. At first, the team thought it would just be a small, fun project.
The project was first called "Toonpulse." It was planned to be a simple copy of the old game. However, the team soon realized the old game needed many updates. So, they decided to rebuild it to make it better and last longer. They rebuilt the game using information that was already public. The first test version of Toontown Rewritten was ready in October 2013.
The game became available for a wider test (open beta) on September 19, 2014. It officially launched on September 1, 2017. Since its launch, the team has added many new things to Rewritten. These include new types of Toons, exciting boss fights, and improvements to make the game more fun. They also planned to make the game map bigger.
Rewritten received a big update called "Sellbot Task Force" in December 2021. This update added Sellbot Field Offices. In these offices, the bad guys, called Cogs, took over Toon HQ buildings on the streets. Players had to sneak through these offices, which was a tough challenge. The story for this update finished in 2022 with a special mission.
Keeping the Game Safe and Working with Creators
The team works hard to avoid any problems with Disney, the company that made the original game. They do not take money from outside donations or show ads. They also made sure to remove any specific Disney characters from their game. Unlike the old game, Toontown Rewritten is totally free to play.
The team makes it clear that they are not connected to Disney. When you visit their website, you are asked to confirm that you know this. They try to be respectful of Disney. When reporters asked Disney about the game, Disney usually chose not to comment. They have not tried to stop the game from running.
Jesse Schell, who helped create the original Toontown Online, really likes the fan project. He said that the main idea of Toontown was about not letting big companies get you down. He saw the Toontown Rewritten players as keeping that spirit alive after the original game closed. Joey Ziolkowski, the lead developer, now works for Schell Games. He got this job because Jesse Schell was very impressed with his work on Toontown Rewritten.
Another person who helped make the first Toontown Online, Ron Weaver, called the project "a huge gift." It let him play the game again with his own kids.
The Toontown Rewritten Community
Every year, a special in-game event called the Cartoonival takes place. It celebrates the anniversary of when the original Toontown game first launched. Mollie Taylor, a writer for PC Gamer, was amazed by how many players joined the Cartoonival in 2023. She said that so many cartoon animals gathered in one area that it made her computer slow down!
Besides the in-game Cartoonival, there was also a real-life fan convention event called ToonFest. This event, named after a Disney event from 2006, happened every year from 2015 to 2025. Volunteers from the Toons of the World Foundation helped pay for it.
At ToonFest: Birthday Bash in 2023, the Rewritten team hosted a discussion with some of the original Toontown creators. This included Jesse Schell and Mike Goslin, who used to be a vice president at Disney Online. They celebrated the 20th anniversary of Toontown together.
In 2020, during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, players used the game to share messages about important social issues. At first, some messages were accidentally flagged, but the game staff quickly made changes to allow players to express themselves.
See also
- Club Penguin Rewritten
