In his latest video, Jan Beta tests out something delightfully unexpected: Commodore 64 online chat. That’s right—thanks to the Chat64 cartridge, the beloved C64 suddenly becomes a modern chat terminal, letting retro computing fans connect in real time using their original hardware.
Chat64 isn’t just a novelty—it’s a fully functioning internet-enabled chatroom that runs directly on the Commodore 64, Commodore 128, and even modern systems like the MEGA65, Ultimate64, and C64 Reloaded. Just plug it into your machine, and you’re instantly part of an online community of fellow 8-bit fans.
The project began as an idea by Bart Venneker, who wanted to create an easy, internet-based communication tool for the Commodore 64. After initial development and limited cartridge distribution, the project went quiet—partly due to a server crash. But then Theo, one of the early testers, stepped in. Together, Bart and Theo reworked the hardware, refined the software, and rebuilt the webserver from the ground up. The result? A stable, modern experience that still feels wonderfully vintage.
Jan Beta walks through the entire process in his video, showing how easy it is to install and start using the Chat64 cartridge. It’s plug-and-play at its finest, with no technical fuss. Watching a Commodore 64 exchange live messages with users across the world is not just cool—it’s a perfect example of how old tech still has room to evolve.
The best part? You can grab your own cartridge from Retro8BitShop, or dig deeper into the technical side on the GitHub repository. The community is also alive and well on Facebook, so if you’re curious or want to join the fun, there’s never been a better time.
