Definition
What Is Worldness?
In short
Worldness is the degree to which a game or platform can become a persistent social place rather than a disposable content treadmill. It is the quality Worlds in Waiting is really scouting for, and the lens we use to decide which projects are worth tracking.
Why the word exists
Genre labels are not very useful for predicting whether a game will become a place. Two games can both be called MMORPGs and feel completely different: one a living world, the other a queue for instanced content. Worldness is a way of naming the difference that actually matters.
It is a spectrum, not a category. A game can have a little worldness or a lot, and that can change over time as systems and communities develop. We use worldness to assess potential, not to award a grade.
The signals of worldness
We look for a recognisable set of signals: persistent identity, player interdependence, shared memory, social consequence, place attachment, meaningful friction, community-created stories, long-term stewardship, player labor that matters, and systems that create reasons to return beyond content consumption.
No single signal is decisive. Meaningful friction without interdependence is just tedium. Persistence without social consequence is just a save file. Worldness emerges when several of these reinforce each other, so that the world becomes somewhere players are invested in, not just somewhere they pass through.
What weak worldness looks like
Low-worldness designs tend to share traits: the world is a backdrop for matchmaking, players never really need each other, nothing players do persists in a way others notice, and the main reason to log in is to consume the next piece of content. These can be excellent games. They are just not places.
This is why we generally do not prioritise pure lobby games, ordinary co-op RPGs with no persistent social layer, or projects with cinematic hype and no visible social architecture. Worldness is the filter.
Worlds we are watching for their worldness
Stars Reach
Sandbox MMORPG · Playable Worlds
A science-fantasy sandbox MMORPG from Raph Koster and Playable Worlds, entering Steam Early Access in summer 2026. Players explore, terraform, and settle a classless, persistent galaxy.
Monsters & Memories
Classic MMORPG · Niche Worlds Cult
A subscription-based indie MMORPG deliberately built in the EverQuest era mould: slow progression, group reliance, dangerous zones, no hand-holding. Early Access launches October 1, 2026.
SEED
Society Simulator MMO · Klang Games
A persistent society simulator MMO from Klang Games where every character is player-owned and the world runs continuously. Early Access launches July 21, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the definition of worldness?
- Worldness is the degree to which a game or platform can become a persistent social place rather than a disposable content treadmill. It is measured by signals like persistent identity, interdependence, shared memory and social consequence.
- How do you measure worldness?
- We do not score it numerically. We assess the presence and strength of its signals - persistence, interdependence, shared memory, consequence, place attachment, meaningful friction and reasons to return - and weigh how they reinforce each other in a given world.
- Can a game gain worldness after launch?
- Yes. Worldness can grow as systems mature and communities form, or fade if a world empties out. That is why we keep a living watchlist and revisit worlds over time rather than judging them once.