Overworld (formerly Wayfarer Labs) has released a research preview of what it calls a local-first diffusion world model, an early and experimental system designed for researchers, engineers, and builders exploring how diffusion-based world models might run entirely on-device at frame rates suitable for play. The company framed the release as foundational work toward a broader platform, while cautioning that the preview does not yet reflect the level of visual fidelity, stability, or depth it plans to deliver publicly.
The effort is backed by a $4.5 million pre-seed round led by Kindred Ventures, with participation from Amplify.LA, Garage Capital, Northside Ventures, Vital Stage, East Sunshine, and a group of angel investors that includes Logan Kilpatrick, as well as senior leaders from Snowflake and Roblox.
Overworld said the preview demonstrates an approach to interactive AI in which diffusion models are structured as continuous, real-time systems that incorporate user input into every frame. The company positioned local execution, modifiability, and real-time feedback as core tenets, arguing that running the model on local GPUs avoids data-center round-trip latency and unpredictable latency, reduces the environmental overhead of large shared clusters, and keeps creative control in the hands of builders. Overworld also said its goal is broad accessibility across consumer devices, including Chromebooks, gaming PCs, and console-class hardware.
The company described the research preview as an initial step toward interactive AI that feels personal and immediate to build with, and said it is inviting researchers and engineers to experiment with the model to help shape what the platform becomes next.
KEY QUOTES
“Technology should give people more room to imagine, not less. The release of our research preview is meant for people who want to understand and experiment with these systems. Our team is dedicated to putting this model in the hands of researchers, engineers, and builders to help shape what this platform will become.”
Louis Castricato, co-founder and CEO of Overworld
“Since I played my first video games, I have wanted to build worlds that respond as quickly as you imagine them,” said Shahbuland Matiana, co-founder and Chief Science Officer at Overworld. “This release focuses on understanding the mechanics of this type of technology and proving diffusion models’ ability to respond to player input in real time on consumer hardware.”
