Playable Worlds
  • Home
  • About
  • News
  • Team
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe for More

Talking About Playable Worlds

Keeping players engaged

Our CEO Raph Koster recently spoke on a panel about engaging players over the long term, and subscription business models. Check out the video and the follow-up interview!

VentureBeat 26 Aug 2020

Playable Worlds Raises $10M for the Creation of its Cloud-Native Sandbox MMO

Playable Worlds announced today that it has secured $10M in Series A funding, led by interactive content and technology investor Galaxy Interactive via its Galaxy EOS VC Fund. The funding will be used to develop the technology associated with a cloud-based game and to continue building out the team.

Press Release 11 Jun 2020

The evolution of MMOs

Our CEO Raph Koster joined Gordon Walton of ArtCraft for a panel discussion put together by GameStar, hosted by Leya Jankowski of MeinMMO and Julius Busch of MAX Monsters & Explosions. Listen in to learn about what makes MMOs special and why these two creators have devoted their careers to them.

GameStar 08 Jun 2020

Just how close are we to achieving the Metaverse?

Pioneers in virtual worlds Philip Rosedale of High Fidelity; Matthew Ball of Epyllion Industries; Raph Koster of Playable Worlds; Frederic Descamps of Manticore Games; and Sam Englebardt of Galaxy Interactive, met up digitally at GamesBeat 2020 to talk about the promise of the Metaverse.

Venture Beat 05 May 2020

Raph Koster guests on "Countdown to Classic" podcast.

Josh is joined for an epic chat with MMORPG legendary designer Raph Koster, the current CEO of Playable Worlds, and former lead designer and creative director of Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies, respectively. Listen in to one of the best chats the show has featured, as Raph talks everything from Richard Garriott’s castle, to his thoughts on micro-transactions and their place in gaming, to his current work with Playable Worlds.

Countdown to Classic 19 Dec 2019

Welcome Back, Koster: Why an MMORPG vet is back building a new virtual world

This is what makes Koster's involvement with Playable Worlds notable: he seems intent on applying lessons learned from decades of studying online game communities, and passionate about building a shared world where combat isn't the focus. 'There are so many ways to exist and interact with these alternate, fictional worlds that to say combat is The Way is just so reductive,' he said. 'We've really started getting that lesson; for me it was a lesson we came into on Ultima Online.

Gamasutra 25 Oct 2019

Gaming industry veteran on how the Store Wars will end

“The gaming industry suffered a schism earlier this year as multiple PC storefronts triggered the Store Wars, an escalating battle for exclusive games. Gamers were divided over the benefits of this, and the debate over it continues as more games come out as “exclusive” to a store. TNW got the chance to speak to Raph Koster, a legend in the industry, about the state of gaming.”

The Next Web 19 Oct 2019

Playable Worlds has a 'different mindset' on engagement

I would go further and say it's not just those sandbox-y elements; there are lessons we could be pulling into MMOs from other kinds of games all together. There's this impression that an MMO has to be something heavy, something you take two hours to do every session. I think there are a ton of lessons we've seen in everything from mobile to indie games showing you can have things that are deep and really engaging but don't require you to make them your principal hobby taking up hours and hours every day.

GamesIndustry.biz 04 Oct 2019

The award-winning designer behind Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies says it's time for his 'dream to be fulfilled.'

“I’d say that our goal, though, is to make a sandbox that looks forward, rather than one that looks backwards. There are many lessons to build on, but we’re not out to build a museum to old gameplay. We’re going to bring the best of that stuff forward to the modern day, and blend it with the best of now to hopefully make something that works for tomorrow.”

Yahoo Finance 03 Oct 2019

Playable Worlds Raises $2.7M to Create a New Sandbox MMORPG, led by Raph Koster, Designer of Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies

Playable Worlds, an online game company created to change the way immersive worlds work, announced today it has raised $2.7 million in seed funding, led by BITKRAFT Esports Ventures with participation from 1UP Ventures and several game industry angel investors. The company is led by a distinguished team of developers with many decades of collective online game experience from Disney, Marvel, Sony Online Entertainment, and venture-backed startups.

Press Release 03 Oct 2019
Playable Worlds

We build the worlds. You create the stories.

  • About
  • News
  • Team
  • Jobs
  • Contact Us
  • Playable Worlds Presskit
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

© 2020 Playable Worlds.

Menu Options
  • Home
  • About
  • News
  • Team
  • Jobs

Newsletter Subscription

Enter your email address here and we'll add you to our list for more information.