Pocket Worlds launches Highrise Studio and Highrise 4.0 for creator-driven virtual experiences

Pocket Worlds has launched Highrise Studio and Highrise 4.0 to empower creators to easily build and monetize virtual experiences.

With Over 40 million users already, Highrise enables players to create their own shared immersive virtual worlds and games.

Austin, Texas-based Pocket Worlds said the latest updates continue Highrise’s commitment to empower creators to unleash their creativity while earning an income from their creations.

Boasting 680,000 weekly users who spend an average of 90 minutes in-game, Highrise has become a hub for user-generated content (UGC) that’s not only engaging but also in lockstep with pop culture trends, by featuring accessories like a Baddie Red Carpet jacket and Stan-cups.

The new Highrise Studio is a suite of development tools enabling creators to build in Unity, the most popular and accessible game engine. Creators can develop without limits, creating entirely new 3D game modes, environments, assets, and more. These creations deploy into the Highrise world with one click.

Highrise Studio is made possible by Highrise 4.0, a complete rewrite of the Highrise world in Unity, which also provides quality-of-life updates to players, including richer character and profile customization.

Creators earn income from their published content through the Creator Exchange program, which provides compensation based on sales and engagement time. In 2023, over 5,000 designers created unique items, resulting in almost half a million paid to creators.

“At Pocket Worlds, we are building bleeding-edge technology that enables creators to build the next generation of immersive experiences,” said Anton Bernstein, CEO at Pocket Worlds, developer of Highrise, in a statement. “Through Highrise, we are connecting the world through shared experiences and realizing the positive potential of the internet. The fundamental need for human connection is more crucial than ever and our ultimate goal is to empower every individual to experience a sense of belonging and connection through creative, virtual worlds.”

Pocket Worlds was established in 2013 and it has 103 employees. Highrise first debuted on mobile in 2019. The company is a fast-growing Y Combinator-backed company with over 50 million users and 10,000 creators.

Highrise 4 is live and available for players immediately. The new Highrise Studio is also available today for creators to begin using and deploying their creations into Highrise. The game is currently in development for Windows and Mac.