RimWorld Open World vs RimWorld Together: Which Server to Run

For almost every group in 2026, RimWorld Together is the server to run. It is actively developed, works on current RimWorld versions, and handles mods, DLC and admin tools far better. Open World, the mod that pioneered the shared planet idea, has not been updated since 2023 and only runs on RimWorld 1.4, so pick it only if you already have an Open World planet or your group is staying on 1.4 for an old mod list. If what you actually want is several people running one colony together, neither is right: that is Zetrith's Multiplayer mod.

Three mods, two very different ideas

RimWorld multiplayer splits into two styles, and choosing the wrong one wastes an evening.

Shared planet (Open World, RimWorld Together). Every player runs their own colony on their own PC, with their own pause button and their own game speed. A server holds the world map, so you see other players' settlements, trade, send gifts and caravans, and in some setups raid each other. You can play at 2 am while your friend is asleep, and their colony is still there on the map.

Shared colony (Zetrith's Multiplayer). Everyone plays the same colony in the same game at the same time, with one player hosting from their PC. It feels like playing RimWorld with extra hands. There is no persistent server: when the host quits, the game stops.

Side by side

Open World: what you get and what you give up

Open World still works for what it does. Its server is light, its config is short (max players, enforced mods, blacklist, whitelist, custom difficulty, custom scenarios and the accepted client version), and a group of friends can keep a planet going for months.

The cost is the version lock. Every player has to roll RimWorld back to 1.4 through Properties, Betas in Steam, which means:

• No 1.5 or 1.6 features, and no Anomaly or Odyssey content.
• Mods must have 1.4 versions. Many still do, but new mods do not.
• Newer saves do not load on 1.4, so players keep two setups or give up their current game.
• Nobody fixes bugs anymore. A problem you hit is a problem you keep.

If that list sounds fine because your group already lives on 1.4, the Open World server setup guide walks through it.

RimWorld Together: why most groups should start here

RimWorld Together keeps the shared planet idea and builds on it:

• Current RimWorld. No rolling back. DLCs, including Biotech and Odyssey, work and are listed in the mod config like mods.
• Real releases. Fixes and features keep coming, and the server has a version setting so it can match what players run.
• Better mod rules. Each mod is Required or Optional, and the server can also check mod settings, which cuts down the classic desync where two players have the same mods with different options.
• More config. Separate files for passwords, difficulty, storyteller, scenario, backups and chat, and a folder of switches for raids, aid, trading, caravans and sites.
• Admin tools in game. Once a player is op, they can manage the server from inside RimWorld as well as from the console.

The trade off is a few more files to understand. Our RimWorld Together server guide covers each of them.

Zetrith's Multiplayer: when you want one colony

Pick Multiplayer if the fun for your group is building one base together, arguing over who drafts the colonists and surviving raids as a team. It syncs the game between players in real time, recommends no more than about 8 people, and can download the host's enabled Workshop mods to players on Steam.

It does not need, and cannot use, a dedicated game server in the usual sense. The host's PC runs the game. So it is the right pick for a regular evening session where everyone is online together, and the wrong pick for a group that plays at different times.

How to decide in one minute

1. Do you want one shared colony? Use Zetrith's Multiplayer. No server needed.
2. Do you want separate colonies on one planet? Continue.
3. Do you already have an Open World planet, or must you stay on RimWorld 1.4? Run Open World.
4. Otherwise: run RimWorld Together.

Can you move between them?

No. Open World and RimWorld Together store the planet and player saves in different formats, and there is no converter. Moving from Open World to RimWorld Together means a new planet. Players can start fresh colonies, or start from a normal RimWorld save in a new run. Plan the switch for a natural break, such as the end of a long playthrough.

Running either one with us

Both are available on GamezServers, and you can switch a server from one to the other in the control panel:

• RimWorld Together hosting with the release version, player count and config files in the panel and file manager.
• RimWorld: Open World hosting for groups staying on 1.4, with Enforce Mods, the blacklist, whitelist, custom difficulty and Player Version as panel settings.

Shared planet servers are light, since colonies simulate on each player's PC, so the smallest plans cover a friend group. Each server has its own address, which removes the port forward, and up to 10 friends can split the bill.

FAQ

Is RimWorld Open World dead?

Yes. It has not been updated since 2023 and its developers marked it abandoned. It still runs on RimWorld 1.4 for groups who stay on that version.

Is RimWorld Together better than Open World?

For most groups, yes. It runs on current RimWorld, is still updated and has stronger mod and admin controls.

Does Zetrith's Multiplayer need a dedicated server?

No. One player hosts the game from their PC, and the session ends when the host leaves.

Can I play RimWorld Together on 1.4?

Check the mod's releases for the version your group needs. Current releases target current RimWorld, which is the main reason to choose it.

Are any of these made by Ludeon Studios?

No. All three are community mods. Every player still needs their own copy of RimWorld.