Shared play · Updated 5 September 2026
Shared worlds. Play together on your own schedule.
Shared Worlds lets up to six people play in the same Creation OS world, each with their own character. You take turns asynchronously, so everyone does not have to be online together. One turn finishes before the next begins. You share the world's history, while your characters can be in different scenes.
What asynchronous play means here
A friend can act at lunch and you can return that evening to continue. Read the recent activity before deciding what to do. The next turn takes place in the world the group has changed through play. There is no fixed round-robin order, but two people do not act simultaneously.
The world progresses through player turns. This is not a promise that new secret scenes are generated while everyone is away. It also is not a live room with voice, video, or automatic same-scene presence. For the current controls, read the Shared Worlds guide.
Bring a friend into a world you already play
The owner invites the group through a share link. Each joining player creates a character of their own. The existing people, places, factions, and history give them somewhere to begin; they do not need to rebuild the setting from scratch.
Use the member controls to check a link's expiry and whether it is single-use, revoke a link, or remove a member. The limit is six players including the owner. Treat an invite link as access to your world and share it with the people you intend to join.
Meet in the story
Joining a world does not automatically put your character beside another player. To meet, agree on a place or a recent event, then move toward it in your next turn. Check each character's position before describing what they can see or do together. Different viewpoints can need clarification.
For example, you might agree to meet at a market after your friend finishes their scene, then each describe travelling there. This is an illustrative way to coordinate, not a transcript or a promise that every story converges in one turn. A short note between players can prevent a lot of crossed wires.
Try a small shared session first
Before planning a long group story, use a world you are comfortable sharing and keep the first session simple:
- The owner creates an invite and checks the intended access settings.
- One friend joins with their own account and creates a character.
- The owner takes a small action, then the friend reads the recent activity and takes a turn.
- Each player checks their own character and the relevant shared world information.
- Agree on where to meet, then try returning on different days.
This checklist lets you judge the handoff, pacing, and amount of coordination your group needs. It is not a new test result. The linked public guide is the feature reference for this page; we have not published a multiplayer performance benchmark with this refresh.
Know which decisions belong to whom
Each player keeps their own character. Shared Forge information can be viewed by members, while some direct Forge changes remain controlled by the owner. Do not assume that every solo-world action is available to every member. Check the current shared-play guide before building a plan around a transfer of gear or a property change.
Each player uses their own Spark when taking a turn. A personal Tome edition uses the binding player's Spark and applicable allowance. Check the current pricing and Spark guide for account terms.
A good fit for a group that likes to read
Shared Worlds suits friends who enjoy written decisions and can let a scene wait for the next person. Agree on the tone of the world and whether major decisions should wait for everyone. If you want simultaneous tactical movement or an automatically assembled party, this is a different kind of play.
New to Creation OS? Start with the first-world guide and play a few solo turns before inviting someone. If scheduling is the main obstacle, playing with friends on different schedules covers ways to keep a group moving without requiring a regular live session.
Written by Creation OS. Feature descriptions were checked against our public Shared Worlds guide on 5 September 2026. Narration can need correction, and a shared history does not guarantee identical descriptions from every viewpoint.
Questions people ask
How many friends can join a Shared World?
A world holds up to six players including the owner. Each joining player has their own character and account.
Do we need to be online at the same time?
No. Shared Worlds is asynchronous. One player can finish a turn and another can return later. Turns finish one at a time, and the group can choose its own order.
Do our characters automatically appear together?
No. Players can occupy different scenes. Coordinate a meeting place and move toward one another through play when you want to share a scene.
Can every member change shared properties?
Members can view shared Forge information, but some direct changes remain owner-controlled. Check the current guide before planning around a particular shared action.
ONE WORLD. YOUR OWN CHARACTERS.
Check current access and allowances before you begin.
By Creation OS. First published . Updated .