diff --git a/evennia/commands/cmdset.py b/evennia/commands/cmdset.py
index b3d16d0abd..7d30d4ed1c 100644
--- a/evennia/commands/cmdset.py
+++ b/evennia/commands/cmdset.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ Set theory.
 from weakref import WeakKeyDictionary
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 from evennia.utils.utils import inherits_from, is_iter
+from future.utils import with_metaclass
 __all__ = ("CmdSet",)
 
 
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ class _CmdSetMeta(type):
         super(_CmdSetMeta, mcs).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
 
 
-class CmdSet(object):
+class CmdSet(with_metaclass(_CmdSetMeta, object)):
     """
     This class describes a unique cmdset that understands priorities.
     CmdSets can be merged and made to perform various set operations
@@ -138,7 +139,6 @@ class CmdSet(object):
 
 
     """
-    __metaclass__ = _CmdSetMeta
 
     key = "Unnamed CmdSet"
     mergetype = "Union"
diff --git a/evennia/commands/command.py b/evennia/commands/command.py
index 80f9ecd31a..ecd938c06b 100644
--- a/evennia/commands/command.py
+++ b/evennia/commands/command.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ All commands in Evennia inherit from the 'Command' class in this module.
 import re
 from evennia.locks.lockhandler import LockHandler
 from evennia.utils.utils import is_iter, fill, lazy_property
+from future.utils import with_metaclass
 
 
 def _init_command(mcs, **kwargs):
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ class CommandMeta(type):
 #    parsing errors.
 
 
-class Command(object):
+class Command(with_metaclass(CommandMeta, object)):
     """
     Base command
 
@@ -127,8 +128,6 @@ class Command(object):
     system to create the help entry for the command, so it's a good idea to
     format it similar to this one)
     """
-    # Tie our metaclass, for some convenience cleanup
-    __metaclass__ = CommandMeta
 
     # the main way to call this command (e.g. 'look')
     key = "command"
diff --git a/evennia/comms/comms.py b/evennia/comms/comms.py
index c7403f5bec..614edcd9bd 100644
--- a/evennia/comms/comms.py
+++ b/evennia/comms/comms.py
@@ -8,16 +8,15 @@ from evennia.comms.models import Msg, TempMsg, ChannelDB
 from evennia.comms.managers import ChannelManager
 from evennia.utils import logger
 from evennia.utils.utils import make_iter
+from future.utils import with_metaclass
 
 
-class DefaultChannel(ChannelDB):
+class DefaultChannel(with_metaclass(TypeclassBase, ChannelDB)):
     """
     This is the base class for all Channel Comms. Inherit from this to
     create different types of communication channels.
 
     """
-    # typeclass setup
-    __metaclass__ = TypeclassBase
     objects = ChannelManager()
 
     def at_first_save(self):
diff --git a/evennia/objects/objects.py b/evennia/objects/objects.py
index e060b9e99e..59ba0073e6 100644
--- a/evennia/objects/objects.py
+++ b/evennia/objects/objects.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from evennia.commands import cmdhandler
 from evennia.utils import logger
 from evennia.utils.utils import (variable_from_module, lazy_property,
                              make_iter, to_str, to_unicode)
+from future.utils import with_metaclass
 
 _MULTISESSION_MODE = settings.MULTISESSION_MODE
 
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@ class SessidHandler(object):
 # Base class to inherit from.
 #
 
-class DefaultObject(ObjectDB):
+class DefaultObject(with_metaclass(TypeclassBase, ObjectDB)):
     """
     This is the root typeclass object, representing all entities that
     have an actual presence in-game. DefaultObjects generally have a
@@ -133,8 +134,6 @@ class DefaultObject(ObjectDB):
     without `obj.save()` having to be called explicitly.
 
     """
-    # typeclass setup
-    __metaclass__ = TypeclassBase
     objects = ObjectManager()
 
     # on-object properties
diff --git a/evennia/players/players.py b/evennia/players/players.py
index 0d880f8bfe..a546d6c7db 100644
--- a/evennia/players/players.py
+++ b/evennia/players/players.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from evennia.scripts.scripthandler import ScriptHandler
 from evennia.commands.cmdsethandler import CmdSetHandler
 
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
+from future.utils import with_metaclass
 
 __all__ = ("DefaultPlayer",)
 
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ _MULTISESSION_MODE = settings.MULTISESSION_MODE
 _CMDSET_PLAYER = settings.CMDSET_PLAYER
 _CONNECT_CHANNEL = None
 
-class DefaultPlayer(PlayerDB):
+class DefaultPlayer(with_metaclass(TypeclassBase, PlayerDB)):
     """
     This is the base Typeclass for all Players. Players represent
     the person playing the game and tracks account info, password
@@ -107,8 +108,6 @@ class DefaultPlayer(PlayerDB):
 
      """
 
-    __metaclass__ = TypeclassBase
-
     objects = PlayerManager()
 
     # properties
diff --git a/evennia/scripts/scripts.py b/evennia/scripts/scripts.py
index c7ddc8c725..762c8c03a0 100644
--- a/evennia/scripts/scripts.py
+++ b/evennia/scripts/scripts.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from evennia.typeclasses.models import TypeclassBase
 from evennia.scripts.models import ScriptDB
 from evennia.scripts.manager import ScriptManager
 from evennia.utils import logger
+from future.utils import with_metaclass
 
 __all__ = ["DefaultScript", "DoNothing", "Store"]
 
@@ -132,13 +133,12 @@ class ExtendedLoopingCall(LoopingCall):
             return interval - (total_runtime % self.interval)
         return None
 
-class ScriptBase(ScriptDB):
+class ScriptBase(with_metaclass(TypeclassBase, ScriptDB)):
     """
     Base class for scripts. Don't inherit from this, inherit from the
     class `DefaultScript` below instead.
 
     """
-    __metaclass__ = TypeclassBase
     objects = ScriptManager()
 
 
diff --git a/evennia/utils/ansi.py b/evennia/utils/ansi.py
index adc0aef82d..0f7e93e2a4 100644
--- a/evennia/utils/ansi.py
+++ b/evennia/utils/ansi.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ user.
 import re
 from evennia.utils import utils
 from evennia.utils.utils import to_str, to_unicode
+from future.utils import with_metaclass
 
 # ANSI definitions
 
@@ -555,7 +556,7 @@ class ANSIMeta(type):
         super(ANSIMeta, cls).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
 
 
-class ANSIString(unicode):
+class ANSIString(with_metaclass(ANSIMeta, unicode)):
     """
     String-like object that is aware of ANSI codes.
 
@@ -572,7 +573,6 @@ class ANSIString(unicode):
     for several of the methods that need not be defined directly here.
 
     """
-    __metaclass__ = ANSIMeta
 
     def __new__(cls, *args, **kwargs):
         """
diff --git a/evennia/utils/idmapper/models.py b/evennia/utils/idmapper/models.py
index 005b788a63..e91e49a202 100644
--- a/evennia/utils/idmapper/models.py
+++ b/evennia/utils/idmapper/models.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from evennia.utils import logger
 from evennia.utils.utils import dbref, get_evennia_pids, to_str
 
 from .manager import SharedMemoryManager
+from future.utils import with_metaclass
 
 AUTO_FLUSH_MIN_INTERVAL = 60.0 * 5 # at least 5 mins between cache flushes
 
@@ -200,13 +201,10 @@ class SharedMemoryModelBase(ModelBase):
         return super(SharedMemoryModelBase, cls).__new__(cls, name, bases, attrs)
 
 
-class SharedMemoryModel(Model):
+class SharedMemoryModel(with_metaclass(SharedMemoryModelBase, Model)):
     """
     Base class for idmapped objects. Inherit from `this`.
     """
-    # CL: setting abstract correctly to allow subclasses to inherit the default
-    # manager.
-    __metaclass__ = SharedMemoryModelBase
 
     objects = SharedMemoryManager()
 
@@ -415,12 +413,11 @@ class WeakSharedMemoryModelBase(SharedMemoryModelBase):
         cls._idmapper_recache_protection = False
 
 
-class WeakSharedMemoryModel(SharedMemoryModel):
+class WeakSharedMemoryModel(with_metaclass(WeakSharedMemoryModelBase, SharedMemoryModel)):
     """
     Uses a WeakValue dictionary for caching instead of a regular one
 
     """
-    __metaclass__ = WeakSharedMemoryModelBase
     class Meta:
         abstract = True
 
diff --git a/evennia/utils/picklefield.py b/evennia/utils/picklefield.py
index 8bc8576def..7a3ba70cb4 100644
--- a/evennia/utils/picklefield.py
+++ b/evennia/utils/picklefield.py
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ from django.forms.util import flatatt
 from django.utils.html import format_html
 
 from evennia.utils.dbserialize import from_pickle, to_pickle
+from future.utils import with_metaclass
 
 try:
     from django.utils.encoding import force_text
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ class PickledFormField(CharField):
             raise ValidationError(self.error_messages['invalid'])
 
 
-class PickledObjectField(_get_subfield_superclass()):
+class PickledObjectField(with_metaclass(models.SubfieldBase, _get_subfield_superclass())):
     """
     A field that will accept *any* python object and store it in the
     database. PickledObjectField will optionally compress its values if
@@ -177,7 +178,6 @@ class PickledObjectField(_get_subfield_superclass()):
     can still do lookups using None). This way, it is still possible to
     use the ``isnull`` lookup type correctly.
     """
-    __metaclass__ = models.SubfieldBase  # for django < 1.3
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         self.compress = kwargs.pop('compress', False)
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 8894232705..eb31de91a8 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ twisted >= 15.2.1
 mock >= 1.0.1
 pillow == 2.9.0
 pytz
+future >= 0.15.2
diff --git a/win_requirements.txt b/win_requirements.txt
index 787d643678..90798c1f86 100644
--- a/win_requirements.txt
+++ b/win_requirements.txt
@@ -8,3 +8,4 @@ twisted >= 15.2.1
 mock >= 1.0.1
 pillow == 2.9.0
 pytz
+future >= 0.15.2