Playable Worlds

Playable Worlds, Inc., established in 2018, is a game development studio focused on creating a next-generation, cloud-native sandbox Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game. The company was co-founded by two decorated veterans of the online game industry, Raph Koster and Eric Goldberg, in San Marcos, California. Koster’s career is highlighted by his roles as the lead designer of seminal MMOs like *Ultima Online* and creative director for *Star Wars Galaxies*. Goldberg is a pioneering online game designer, responsible for *MadMaze*, the first online game to attract one million players, and has a significant background as an executive and advisor with multiple successful exits.

The company is channeling its founders' extensive experience into the development of its debut title, *Stars Reach*. This project is engineered to be a persistent, single-shard sandbox MMO, which means all players will inhabit a single, shared galaxy without separate servers. The core of the business is the development and operation of this online world. Its architecture is built specifically to leverage cloud computing, enabling deeper simulations, modifiable environments, and more reactive artificial intelligence than what is typically possible in online games. The game will feature a classless skill progression system and cater to various playstyles, from combat and exploration to crafting and socializing within a player-driven economy.

Playable Worlds has secured significant financial backing to realize its ambitious project. The company has raised a total of $37.7 million across three funding rounds, including a $2.7 million seed round in 2019, a $10 million Series A in 2020, and a $25 million Series B round in 2022. Key investors include Kakao Games, BITKRAFT Ventures, and Galaxy Interactive. The business model for *Stars Reach* is planned as free-to-play, with revenue generated through an optional monthly "Property Pass" that allows players to own land, and a microtransaction store for cosmetic items, explicitly avoiding a "pay-to-win" structure.

Keywords: Raph Koster, Eric Goldberg, Stars Reach, sandbox MMO, cloud-native gaming, player-driven economy, persistent world, single-shard MMO, virtual world simulation, online game development, massively multiplayer online game, PC gaming, procedural generation, player housing, community-driven games, skill-based progression, online role-playing game, venture-backed game studio, Kakao Games, BITKRAFT Ventures