diff --git a/gym/envs/__init__.py b/gym/envs/__init__.py
index d0e93cceb24..b2e9ee118af 100644
--- a/gym/envs/__init__.py
+++ b/gym/envs/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,14 @@
-from gym.envs.registration import registry, register, make, spec
+from gym.envs.registration import (
+    registry,
+    register,
+    make,
+    spec,
+    load_plugins as _load_plugins,
+)
+
+# Hook to load plugins from entry points
+_load_plugins()
+
 
 # Classic
 # ----------------------------------------
diff --git a/gym/envs/registration.py b/gym/envs/registration.py
index b7ba24337d8..a29bfd4f07b 100644
--- a/gym/envs/registration.py
+++ b/gym/envs/registration.py
@@ -1,7 +1,15 @@
 import re
+import sys
 import copy
 import importlib
 
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+
+if sys.version_info < (3, 8):
+    import importlib_metadata as metadata
+else:
+    import importlib.metadata as metadata
+
 from gym import error, logger
 
 # This format is true today, but it's *not* an official spec.
@@ -11,6 +19,9 @@
 # to include an optional username.
 env_id_re = re.compile(r"^(?:[\w:-]+\/)?([\w:.-]+)-v(\d+)$")
 
+# Whitelist of plugins which can hook into the `gym.envs.internal` entry point.
+plugin_internal_whitelist = {"ale_py.gym"}
+
 
 def load(name):
     mod_name, attr_name = name.split(":")
@@ -95,6 +106,7 @@ class EnvRegistry(object):
 
     def __init__(self):
         self.env_specs = {}
+        self._ns = None
 
     def make(self, path, **kwargs):
         if len(kwargs) > 0:
@@ -183,10 +195,25 @@ def spec(self, path):
                 raise error.UnregisteredEnv("No registered env with id: {}".format(id))
 
     def register(self, id, **kwargs):
+        if self._ns is not None:
+            if "/" in id:
+                namespace, id = id.split("/")
+                logger.warn(
+                    f"Custom namespace '{namespace}' is being overrode by namespace '{self._ns}'. "
+                    "If you are developing a plugin you shouldn't specify a namespace in `register` calls. "
+                    "The namespace is specified through the entry point key."
+                )
+            id = f"{self._ns}/{id}"
         if id in self.env_specs:
             logger.warn("Overriding environment {}".format(id))
         self.env_specs[id] = EnvSpec(id, **kwargs)
 
+    @contextmanager
+    def namespace(self, ns):
+        self._ns = ns
+        yield
+        self._ns = None
+
 
 # Have a global registry
 registry = EnvRegistry()
@@ -202,3 +229,35 @@ def make(id, **kwargs):
 
 def spec(id):
     return registry.spec(id)
+
+
+@contextmanager
+def namespace(ns):
+    with registry.namespace(ns):
+        yield
+
+
+def load_plugins(
+    third_party_entry_point="gym.envs", internal_entry_point="gym.envs.internal"
+):
+    # Load third-party environments
+    for external in metadata.entry_points().get(third_party_entry_point, []):
+        if external.attr is not None:
+            raise error.Error(
+                "Gym environment plugins must specify a root module to load, not a function"
+            )
+        # Force namespace on all `register` calls for third-party envs
+        with namespace(external.name):
+            external.load()
+
+    # Load plugins which hook into `gym.envs.internal`
+    # These plugins must be in the whitelist defined at the top of this file
+    # We don't force a namespace on register calls in this module
+    for internal in metadata.entry_points().get(internal_entry_point, []):
+        if internal.module not in plugin_internal_whitelist:
+            continue
+        if external.attr is not None:
+            raise error.Error(
+                "Gym environment plugins must specify a root module to load, not a function"
+            )
+        internal.load()
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index da98e4f627f..4e1aa09a3b8 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
     install_requires=[
         "numpy>=1.18.0",
         "cloudpickle>=1.2.0",
+        "importlib_metadata>=4.8.1; python_version < '3.8'",
     ],
     extras_require=extras,
     package_data={