View source for Wurm Online

{{about|the video game|the fictional web serial|Worm (web serial)}}
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{{Advert|date=November 2013}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Wurm Online
| developer = [[Code Club AB]]
| publisher = Code Club AB
| designer = Rolf Jansson <br /> [[Markus Persson]]
| released = 2006
| platforms = [[Java platform|Java]]
| image = 
| caption = 
}}

'''''Wurm Online''''' is a [[3D computer graphics|3D]] [[Massively multiplayer online game|massively multiplayer online video game]] (MMO) developed by [[Code Club AB]] (formerly Onetofree AB and Mojang Specifications AB). Development started in 2003 by friends Rolf Jansson and [[Markus Persson]], and was released for [[personal computer]]s using [[Java platform|Java]] in 2006. Both [[player versus player]] and [[realm versus realm]] combat are possible in the game.

==Gameplay==
{{Unreferenced section|date=March 2022}} 
''Wurm Online'' is a [[Sandbox games|sandbox]] MMO game.<ref name=":0" /> The world of Wurm is a medieval-style fantasy setting. It consists of over a dozen persistent servers, either PvE or PvP. Travel between server islands is done by crossing the surrounding oceans by ship, or by teleportation via portal. The servers' terrain and landscape is changeable by players, who can lower and raise the land, change biomes and vegetation, and more. Aside from a few pre-made starter towns and a minimal amount of NPCs, everything on the originally wild-natured servers is built and managed by players: settlements, infrastructure, the economy and social interaction. 

The game has no character classes but over a hundred skills players can freely use and train, among them crafting and fighting skills; only characters that become priests accept restrictions in return for magical abilities. Players can use a detailed and expansive crafting system to build everything from equipment to houses to decorations. This encourages specialization and trade, where players can co-operate with each other to achieve goals and complete projects.

''Wurm Online'' is [[free-to-play]], with a skill cap that is suspended with a paid subscription ("premium time"), payable in real-world or in-game currency ("silvers", which can be acquired in-game or bought). Players can rent land from the game for in-game currency, which offers full control and protection of the deeded land.

==Development==
[[File:User Interface in Wurm Online, 2012.jpg|250px|thumb|right|An example of the user interface for ''Wurm Online'' in 2012]]
''Wurm'' is developed in [[Java Development Kit|Java]] and uses [[OpenGL]] for rendering the game. The development of the game was started by Rolf Jansson and [[Markus Persson|Notch]].<ref name="PCGAMERinterview">{{cite web|last=McDougal|first=Jaz|title=Community heroes: Notch, for Minecraft|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/07/29/community-heroes-notch-for-minecraft/|publisher=[[PC Gamer]]|access-date=3 August 2010|date=29 July 2010}}</ref> ''Wurm'' first started its [[Development stage#Beta|Beta]] stage in 2003 and had its official release in 2006.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.wurmonline.com/ |title=Wurm Online |publisher=Wurm Online |access-date=25 October 2011}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The website cited doesn't say anything about going gold.|date=December 2019}} In 2007, Markus Persson left the company. When asked if ''Wurm'' would shut down due to his resignation, Markus said "''Wurm'''s not going anywhere".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wurmpedia.com/index.php/Notch|title=User:Notch – Wurmpedia}}</ref>{{user-generated source|date=September 2020}} In 2008, the main developer began publishing a blog.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wurmonline.tumblr.com/ |title=Wurm Online Developer Blog |publisher=Wurmonline.com |date=6 March 2013 |access-date=25 October 2011}}</ref>

In 2011, the main developer hired their first paid employee, a client developer. This was later followed by a lead artist being hired by the developer,<ref>{{cite web |author=Wurm Online |url=http://www.wurmonline.com/blog/gamedev/artmodels/hiring-new-artist-team-leader/ |title=Lead Artist Hired |publisher=Wurmonline.com |date=12 July 2011 |access-date=5 April 2012}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> resulting in a total of two known employees as of July 2011. The game was officially released in 2012.

In October 2015, a standalone version of ''Wurm Online'', known as ''Wurm Unlimited'', was released on [[Steam (service)|Steam]] as an alternative payment method, having a one time fee rather than having a limited free trial and monthly fee, and is played on player-run servers instead of the main official servers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wurm Unlimited Store Page |url=http://store.steampowered.com/app/366220/ |access-date=21 October 2015 |website=Steam}}</ref>

In 2020, ''Wurm Online'' was also added to Steam, and introduced four new official servers.

==Reception==
''[[Massively (blog)|Massively.com]]'' has, since 2012, begun regularly featuring ''Wurm'', often doing live streams of the game and regularly posting news updates about ''Wurm''. Massively have often praised ''Wurm'' for its no-limit freedom and for truly being a "sandbox" MMO with many different skills and abilities, criticizing only the "maintenance mode" that occurs when maintaining a (large) deed/village.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/why-i-play-wurm-online/|title=Yahoo|website=massively.joystiq.com|access-date=8 December 2012|archive-date=8 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108041857/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/why-i-play-wurm-online/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

''Tisthammer'' examined it in a "First Impressions" review. The distant landscapes were highlighted for their photographic quality, and the main appeal was seen in the interactivity of the world, but overall, it failed to keep the reviewer's attention, feeling that [[Multi-user dungeon|MUD]]-style text-based combat has been eclipsed by modern [[Mmorpgs|MMORPGs]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/37341|title=Wurm Online: First Impressions|work=TenTonHammer|author=Gourley, Danny|date=1 July 2008|access-date=24 December 2010|quote=I only can say that it failed to hold my attention.}}</ref>

A ''[[PC Gamer]]'' review after the official release was critical, with a score of 68%, citing the time commitment required as well as the lack of creativity in what a player could accomplish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/review/wurm-online-review/|title=Wurm Online review|work=PC Gamer|author=Cobbett, Richard|date=2 February 2013|access-date=18 February 2013}}</ref>

Christopher Steele of ''Topfreemmorpg.net'' praised ''Wurm Online''{{'}}s gameplay and noted that it provides a true challenge to the players.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://topfreemmorpg.net/wurm-online-review/|title=Wurm Online Review|author=Steele, Christopher|date=27 June 2014|access-date=10 October 2014}}</ref>

''MMO Sandboxes''{{'}} reviewer Crescent Wolf described it as a "true sandbox title".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mmosandboxes.com/game-reviews/wurm-online-review/|title=Wurm Online Review|author=Wolf, Crescent|date=2 January 2014|access-date=10 October 2014|archive-date=17 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017102706/http://mmosandboxes.com/game-reviews/wurm-online-review/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Jordan Hall, ''[http://www.onrpg.com/articles/wurm-online-the-greatest-mmo-sandbox-ever-made/ Wurm Online 1.0 Review]'', OnRPG.com, 28 December 2012
* Benjy Ikimi, ''[http://www.gamezine.co.uk/reviews/formats/online/wurm-online-review-$1318596.htm Wurm Online Review]'', gamezine.co.uk, 13 Aug 2009
* {{in lang|de}} Sascha "Hugin" Wall, ''[http://www.onlinewelten.com/games/articles/specials/2763-wurm-online-spuren-letzten-trapper/ Wurm Online. Auf den Spuren der letzten Trapper]'', onlinewelten.com, 20 July 2008

==External links==
* {{official website|http://wurmonline.com/}}
* The Wurm Online wiki: {{website|http://wurmpedia.com/}}

{{Markus Persson}}

[[Category:2006 video games]]
[[Category:Browser games]]
[[Category:Java platform games]]
[[Category:Linux games]]
[[Category:macOS games]]
[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:Indie games]]
[[Category:Massively multiplayer online role-playing games]]
[[Category:Video games designed by Markus Persson]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Sweden]]