A participant search method in an online game and online chat, wherein, when starting an online game or online chat on a network connecting a plurality of subscribers to each other with a network server as a core, the network server that has received participant search information from one subscriber matches network subscriber-related attribute information stored in the server with the participant search information to select a matched subscriber currently connected to the network, distributes participant recruiting information to that subscriber, and sends back participant acceptance information for the subscriber who has accepted the recruiting information to the above-described one subscriber.