JB: an open-world game on the real map of Iran
JB (Jahanbaz, “open world” in Persian) is a free game that runs right in your browser, on phones and computers, with nothing to install. Its world is built from real map data: all 22 districts of Tehran with about 1.2 million buildings, and the cities of Shiraz, Rasht, Bandar Anzali, Yazd, Meybod and Bushehr, connected by the highways of Iran.
Walk the streets, drive Iranian cars like the Peugeot 405, Pride and Paykan, fly airliners out of Mehrabad, ride a lenj boat on the Persian Gulf, or meet friends online.
Cities and landmarks
- Tehran: Azadi Tower and square, Milad Tower, Tabiat (Nature) Bridge, the Grand Bazaar, Golestan Palace, Valiasr Street with its plane trees, Azadi Stadium and Mehrabad Airport
- Shiraz: the Arg of Karim Khan, the Quran Gate and Hafezieh
- Rasht and Bandar Anzali: tiled roofs, rice fields, the Caspian Sea and the Anzali lagoon
- Yazd and Meybod: adobe lanes, windcatchers, Amir Chakhmaq, the Jameh Mosque, Dowlatabad Garden and Narin Castle
- Bushehr: the old town’s wooden balconies, the lenj quays and the Persian Gulf with real water you can swim in
What you can do
- Drive in busy, realistic traffic; take taxi fares, missions and races, or run from the police
- Fly the A320, A300, MD-83, Fokker 100 and ATR 72 in the colours of eight Iranian airlines, or a helicopter
- Live weather and time of day (Tehran’s real weather right now) or any weather you like, from snow to thunderstorms
- Online rooms per city with proximity voice chat, dancing and hugs, 11-a-side football at Azadi Stadium, cops and robbers, and an in-game economy
Good to know
The game’s menus are in Persian (Farsi). Controls: WASD to move and drive, Shift to run, Space to jump, F to get in and out, M for the map, Esc for the menu. PS5, PS4 and Xbox controllers work too, and phones get touch controls (hold the phone sideways).
Questions
Is JB free?
Yes. Single player is free. Online play needs an account and is free for the first 30 days.
Does it work on phones?
Yes, in Chrome on Android and Safari on iPhone. On older phones, lower the quality from the menu.
Is there an English version?
Not yet: the menus are in Persian. This page explains the basics, and the controls are the usual ones for open-world games.