X-News

Headlines from X-bit BBS News Feed, a feed about BBSes, BBS software, door games and the scene. The list is rebuilt once a day.

• Breaking!! The NES Door - NES games over sixel for the BBS

  2026-09-30

  From the maker of BBS Wordle - The NES Door! Play NES games like Mario, Tetris, Zelda, Golf, etc with sound on the BBS! Picture drawn with sixel graphics, real key-down/key-up input and the game's own sound in SyncTERM, and optional 2-player games between two nodes. Would you like to know more? [https://github.com/AlexCorris/nesdoor] The NES Door - Tetris ROM example: [https://x-bit.org/box/nesdoor.mp4]

• Usurper Reborn update: v1.2.0 - Devotion

  2026-09-29

  Usurper Reborn has released v1.2.0 - Devotion. Huge amout of updates and fixes so if you've not updated for a while, now is the time. For a full list of whats new visit: [https://github.com/binary-knight/usurper-reborn/releases/tag/v1.2.0] The Usurper Reborn homepage can be found here: [https://usurper-reborn.net/]

• ANetBBS v1.1.0 has been released!

  2026-09-23

  ANetBBS is a modern take on the classic Bulletin Board System, combining traditional BBS features with the web, modern networking, real-time chat, FidoNet, door games, and multiple front-ends. Massive amount of features and updates in v1.1!

• Sync Bug Fix: Deleted could still log on via SSH-SFTP-RLogin

  2026-09-22

  An account flagged DELETED or INACTIVE could still log on via SSH, SFTP or RLogin. Those paths resolve the account name themselves and, on a successful authentication, jump straight to logon(), bypassing login(), which was the only place the flags were checked. Thanks to StingRay for identifying this bug and DM for the quick fix. To patch, review the Dev Update instructions here: [https://wiki.synchro.net/install:dev] For more info on this finding visit: [https://gitlab.synchro.net/main/sbbs/-/work_items/1239]

• Win10 Sysops: MS extendeds win10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program

  2026-09-22

  Official support ended October 14, 2025. The original consumer ESU period was set to run through October 2026. In late June 2026, Microsoft updated its support documentation so the program now runs through October 12, 2027. Existing enrollments were extended automatically; new enrollments remain available until that date. This is security-only updates (critical/important patches), not feature updates or full support. Enrollment options for personal devices are typically free via a Microsoft account + Windows Backup sync, 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or a one-time $30 payment (with some regional variations).

• Immortal Barons v0.1.2

  2026-09-21

  Immortal Barons (IB) is a modern, open-source strategy door game for BBSes and terminals. Players manage a post-apocalyptic barony buying land, developing technology, raising armies, conducting covert operations and battling rival empires locally or through inter-BBS leagues. IB is an independent tribute to Mehul Patel’s classic 1990s BBS door game, Barren Realms Elite. It recreates most all of BRE’s familiar strategy and gameplay in a fresh, cross-platform door, while adding modern enhancements and expanded league play. A number of great updates have been made in the last few months so if you've yet to review, nows the time. Thank you for all the time and effort that you've put in to IB Andy Alt! For more info and to download visit: [https://andy5995.github.io/immortal-barons/] To join the Inter-BBS league hosting Immortal Barons visit: ]https://x-bit.org/info/xleague/]

• uMRC v106 has been released!

  2026-09-18

  uMRC is a full-featured, cross-platform Multi-Relay Chat client for BBSes. It runs as a native door on your system, allowing you and your users to access Multi-Relay Chat without having to install and maintain a Mystic BBS instance or Python. In other words, as long as your BBS is capable of running DOOR32.SYS doors, you can participate in MRC. uMRC supports MANY operating systems and platforms, including x86, x64, ARM, Linux, macOS, and Windows 32/64-bit. Access the following for more info and to see the full list of changes in v106: uMRC GitHub: [https://github.com/codefenix-dev/uMRC] uMRC v106 download: [https://github.com/codefenix-dev/uMRC/releases/tag/106] uMRC homepage: [https://conchaos.synchro.net/umrc/]

• REBEL KINGDOM - 2026

  2026-09-13

  A freeware recreation of the 1990s BBS door game Rebel Kingdom! Visit [https://bbswordle.com/rebelkingdom/] for more info and to download your Win32/64, Linux, PI/ARM or dos version.

• ANetRLogin: Outbound RLogin for Classic DOS BBS Systems!

  2026-09-13

  Outbound RLogin for classic DOS BBS systems. 16-bit DOS/OpenDoors door + Win32 bridge. Supports DOOR.SYS/FOSSIL, per-node sessions, multiple allowlisted RLogin destinations, %USER%/%ALIAS%/%PASSWORD% mapping, ANSI terminal relay, and quick ESC-ESC-ESC return to the BBS. Low-latency v0.2 network/IPC relay engine.

• SyncTERM v1.9 has been released!

  2026-09-07

  SyncTERM v1.9 has been released with many changes and bug fixes since v1.8. For a full list of whatsnew visit: [https://tinyurl.com/syncterm-19]

• Door game: Carnival Season 3 Unlocked!

  2026-09-06

  Three seasons. One mystery that keeps getting bigger. Start beneath the bright lights of the midway, follow the Barker's keys into the Back Lot, and carry your history forward into a final chapter where what you earned, found, and became may still matter. Amazing door game from the maker of BBS Wordle!

• MiSTiGRiS: New art pack has been released

  2026-08-31

  Mistigris latest amazing art pack has been spotted in the wild! [https://16colo.rs/pack/mist0826]. Would you like to see more?

• DeuceGate: SSH-only replacement for GameSrv

  2026-08-30

  A modern, SSH-only replacement for GameSrv that runs against your existing BBS root - no menu rewrites, no user migration, no second transport stack. DeuceGate is a C17, SSH-native replacement for Rick Parrish's GameSrv door server. It reads an existing GameSrv directory in place and uses DeuceSSH for all remote connections.

• New drop file for BBS doors in development

  2026-08-30

  RealDeuce is creating BBSDEV.DRP, a small line-oriented format for handing a live BBS session to a door. It retains the easy sequential parsing of classic drop files while specifying the details they left ambiguous: UTF-8 text, absolute logoff time, terminal geometry and encoding, stable user identity, modern I/O mechanisms, and forward-compatible versioning. Modern BBS packages (like Synchronet) and Doors (like Immortal Barons) are already adding support.

• Happy 35th Birthday Linux!

  2026-08-25

  On August 25, 1991, Torvalds announced the project on the comp.os.minix Usenet newsgroup, stating: "I'm doing a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu) for 386(486) AT clones. This has been brewing since april, and is starting to get ready. I'd like any feedback on things people like/dislike in minix, as my target brain is a 386/486 AT clone." The post sought input from Minix users on desired improvements, emphasizing its non-commercial intent and compatibility with GNU tools.

• YouTube, live in your BBS: SixelDoor Update

  2026-08-23

  SixelDoor releases a huge update. Now streams YouTube search results straight into a retro ANSI CRT-TV - synced native audio through SyncTERM's own mixer, photo-quality JPEG XL video when the client supports it, and a sixel fallback for everyone else. Would you like to know more? Visit the SixelDoor website here: [https://a-net-online.lol/sixel-tv/index.html] And its github here: [https://github.com/anetonline/SIXEL-TV]

• The X-League: InterBBS League 777

  2026-08-21

  The X-League News/Notes and Updates: 1) Added Immortal Barons 777 to its game roster 2) BRE 777 will all reset on 8-31 with gameplay starting on 9-1 3) Other games resetting on 9-1: BRE 701 - FE 777 - TAL 777 4) Global War is very active and always looking for more players For more info on Inter-BBS League 777 and info on how to join visit the following: [https://x-bit.org/info/xleague/]

• Synchronet termgfx doors: retro and modern games

  2026-08-17

  Digital Man playing DOOM, Duke Nukem 3D, several SCUMM titles, EasyRPM, Intellivision, NES, and Arcade games as BBS doors using JXL and Sixel graphics, SyncTERM audio (music and sound effects), mouse and evdev/kitty native keyboard input. This is the BBS in 2026!

• IcyBoard 0.2.0-lsp1 released

  2026-08-15

  IcyBoard's goal is to re-create PCBoard, one of the most famous DOS BBS systems of its time. Version 0.2.0-lsp1 is a large update with many new features, improvements, and fixes. For more information about the IcyBoard project and the 0.2.0-lsp1 update, visit: [https://github.com/mkrueger/icy_board]

• On this day in Tech History: The IBM PC

  2026-08-13

  IBM introduces its Personal Computer (PC) also known as the IBM Model 5150, lending legitimacy to microprocessor-based computers. IBM's first PC ran with a 4.77 MHz Intel 8088 microprocessor and used Microsoft's MS-DOS operating system. Steve Jobs was quoted in a 1985 interview, “If … IBM wins, my personal feeling is that we are going to enter sort of a computer Dark Ages for about 20 years.”