MasterCrimeZ is a text-based multiplayer browser-based role-playing game (MMORPG) developed and maintained by Jan Wilmake. First launched in 2006 when Wilmake was twelve years old,[1] MasterCrimeZ is one of the earliest and most enduring projects in his portfolio, serving both as his introduction to professional software development and as a recurring side project throughout his career.
MasterCrimeZ is set in a criminal underworld and follows a classic browser game model: players build criminal empires, engage in territory battles, participate in an in-game economy, and interact with rival players through a text-based interface. The game uses a gang/syndicate structure, an in-game marketplace, and progression mechanics typical of the genre.
Wilmake built the initial version of MasterCrimeZ in PHP at the age of twelve, hosting it while still in secondary school.[1] At its commercial peak, the game attracted over 500 daily active users and generated revenues exceeding €2,000 per month, primarily through in-game purchases and premium memberships. This made it a significant independent revenue source for a teenager.
During his secondary school years, he maintained MasterCrimeZ alongside freelance web development work for local businesses.
The game experienced multiple periods of reduced activity:[2]
| Era | Technology |
|---|---|
| 2006–2018 | PHP, MySQL |
| 2018–2021 | Node.js migration |
MasterCrimeZ is notable as the proof-of-concept that bootstrapped software could generate meaningful revenue. Its commercial success at an early age fundamentally shaped Wilmake's later entrepreneurial approach: a preference for self-funded products that demonstrate traction before raising external capital.[1]