DWANGO, the acronym for Dial-Up Wide Area Network Game Operation, was a popular dial-up service in the 1990's that allowed it's users to interact in chat, as well as play multiplayer computer games. DWANGO was originally called the "Doom Wide-Area Network Game Organization" for its support of the popular computer game Doom. The first server was based in Houston, Texas and originally users had to dial in to Houston's 713 area code to access the service. Later, more servers were opened up nationwide, and DWANGO even expanded to cover parts of Asia. In 1997, the company entered into a partnership with Microsoft and its Internet Gaming Zone, and shortly after closed down.
With the launch of DOOM for PC in late 1994, and DOOM2 in 1995, the dial-up service known as DWANGO was born to connect people together and allow them to play DOOM. Retail and shareware versions of DOOM, as well as DOOM2, came packaged with the first DWANGO client. Soon after the popularity of the initial Houston server grew, DWANGO had servers in 28 different cities across the nation. With the DWANGO software installed, users could play multiplayer games such as DOOM, DOOM2, Heretic, Hexen, Duke3d, Terminal Velocity, Warcraft 2, Mech Warrior 2, and may others. Once a new user was verified by a server moderator, they were given 5 free hours of play, and after that, additional hours could be purchased for play. DWANGO also had a ranking system based on the number of hours that a person had played. Users were titled Squire, Knave, Player, Hero, Master, Boss, Titan, and Deity. Disruptive users were given the rank Sewerslime, which muted them, and kicked them from the server after 30 seconds. Some servers also had VIP users which could log in and play for free. During the peak of DWANGO's popularity, the servers were full of players competing against each other. DWANGO users began putting together map packs containing their favorite maps for use on DWANGO servers, some of which are still widely played to this day. Tournaments were held with prizes that drew large crowds of people. Some users even had LAN parties to so that DWANGO'ers could get together and get to know each other better. Great friendships were formed and some players even remain friends today.
Shortly after the merger of IVS, the company that owned DWANGO, and Microsoft, the servers were closed. Multiplayer internet games were the wave of the future, and people moved on to newer games like Quake, which was released in 1996 and featured internet play. Some DWANGO'ers moved onto bigger and better things, and some just faded away in the memory that was DWANGO. After the release of the DOOM source code by ID software in 1997, windows ports of DOOM started to appear that featured internet play. One such port, called Zdaemon, is how DWANGO players became United together to enjoy playing DOOM like they had so many years ago. Old DWANGO users Romeo and Trigger ran into each other during a FFA match and became good friends. They talked about DWANGO and their memories of it and wondered if other DWANGO'ers were in the Zdaemon community. Through their collaboration, they decided to build a clan of ex-DWANGO members. Trigger came up with the name of DWANGO United and added the tag of [DUI]. It has since grown into the monstrous group that you see today. DWANGO United still believes in the same philosophy that made our players great in the past. We play hard and fast, but we always play fair and honest. We believe in using our skills that have been in place for over 10 years, and we will continue to outplay any would be cheater that comes before us. DWANGO United is now one of the largest clans in the Zdaemon community and are considered the original old school clan.
To conclude this history of DWANGO United, we'll take a quote from DWANGO United Co-leader Trigger:
"We were always a clan - we just didn't know it".
DWANGO United Home Page 2006