New forms of computation enable fundamentally new kinds of virtual worlds. Autonomous Worlds are not just worlds that happen to exist onchain, but worlds that could not exist otherwise.

The Autonomous Worlds Network is an organisation that seeks to uncover and advance the plot of these worlds. We do this through supporting:

• Research and development. We foster experimental approaches that expand both the concept and capabilities of Autonomous Worlds, onchain and off.
• Open-source tooling. We enable the development of the new tools and technical infrastructure demanded by new worlds in accordance with open ecosystem values.
• Education and ecosystem. We connect and engage a network of developers, technologists, artists, writers, and designers through community initiatives and education programmes.

These activities are currently guided by three broad research themes:

• World technology. The computational systems that run Autonomous Worlds.
• Digital physics. The design space of blockchain-based rule systems that structure Autonomous Worlds.
• Decentralised worldbuilding. The new forms of collective authorship enabled by both of the above systems.

Across these domains, we aim to produce a freely available repository of knowledge, patterns, and code for the collective definition and development of Autonomous Worlds.

Autonomous Worlds Network is a suborganisation of 0xPARC.

For any inquiries, email hello@aw.network.