diff --git a/code/apps/client/CMakeLists.txt b/code/apps/client/CMakeLists.txt
index c39682f..b33b742 100644
--- a/code/apps/client/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/code/apps/client/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ add_library(client-common STATIC
   source/main.c
 
   header/network.h
-  header/game.h
 )
 
 add_executable(eco2d-client
diff --git a/code/apps/client/source/game.c b/code/apps/client/source/game.c
index 00c0a98..bf9b51c 100644
--- a/code/apps/client/source/game.c
+++ b/code/apps/client/source/game.c
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ void game_init(int8_t play_mode, int32_t seed, uint16_t block_size, uint16_t chu
     }
 }
 
+int8_t game_is_networked() {
+    return is_networked_play;
+}
+
 void game_shutdown() {
     if (is_networked_play) {
         network_client_disconnect();
diff --git a/code/apps/client/source/main.c b/code/apps/client/source/main.c
index dd44bd5..674a3ac 100644
--- a/code/apps/client/source/main.c
+++ b/code/apps/client/source/main.c
@@ -45,8 +45,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     sighandler_register();
     game_init(is_networked_play, seed, block_size, chunk_size, world_size);
         
-    while (game_is_running())
-    {
+    while (game_is_running()) {
         game_input();
         game_update();
         game_render();
diff --git a/code/apps/playground/CMakeLists.txt b/code/apps/playground/CMakeLists.txt
index ee504df..6601226 100644
--- a/code/apps/playground/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/code/apps/playground/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 add_executable(playground
   source/main.c
+  source/game.c
 )
 
 include_directories(header ../modules ../common)
diff --git a/code/apps/playground/source/game.c b/code/apps/playground/source/game.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b723210
--- /dev/null
+++ b/code/apps/playground/source/game.c
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#include "game.h"
+#include "platform.h"
+#include "world/world.h"
+#include "packets/packet.h"
+#include "signal_handling.h"
+
+#include "flecs/flecs.h"
+#include "flecs/flecs_dash.h"
+#include "flecs/flecs_systems_civetweb.h"
+#include "flecs/flecs_os_api_stdcpp.h"
+
+void game_init(int8_t play_mode, int32_t seed, uint16_t block_size, uint16_t chunk_size, uint16_t world_size) {
+    
+}
+
+int8_t game_is_networked() {
+    return 1;
+}
+
+void game_shutdown() {
+    world_destroy();
+}
+
+uint8_t game_is_running() {
+    return 1;
+}
+
+void game_input() {
+    
+}
+
+void game_update() {
+    world_update();
+}
+
+void game_render() {
+}
+
diff --git a/code/apps/server/CMakeLists.txt b/code/apps/server/CMakeLists.txt
index fb87034..61b11bf 100644
--- a/code/apps/server/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/code/apps/server/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 add_executable(eco2d-server
   source/main.c
   source/network.c
+  source/game.c
   source/utils/options.c
 
   header/network.h
diff --git a/code/apps/server/source/game.c b/code/apps/server/source/game.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..29ad85d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/code/apps/server/source/game.c
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+#include "game.h"
+#include "platform.h"
+#include "world/world.h"
+#include "packets/packet.h"
+#include "signal_handling.h"
+#include "network.h"
+
+#include "flecs/flecs.h"
+#include "flecs/flecs_dash.h"
+#include "flecs/flecs_systems_civetweb.h"
+#include "flecs/flecs_os_api_stdcpp.h"
+
+static WORLD_PKT_READER(mp_pkt_reader) {
+    pkt_header header = {0};
+    uint32_t ok = pkt_header_decode(&header, data, datalen);
+    
+    if (ok && header.ok) {
+        return pkt_handlers[header.id].handler(&header) >= 0;
+    } else {
+        zpl_printf("[warn] unknown packet id %d (header %d data %d)\n", header.id, ok, header.ok);
+    }
+    return -1;
+}
+
+void game_init(int8_t play_mode, int32_t seed, uint16_t block_size, uint16_t chunk_size, uint16_t world_size) {
+    sighandler_register();
+    stdcpp_set_os_api();
+    
+    zpl_printf("[INFO] Generating world of size: %d x %d\n", world_size, world_size);
+    world_init(seed, block_size, chunk_size, world_size, mp_pkt_reader, mp_pkt_writer);
+    
+    /* server dashboard */
+    {
+        ECS_IMPORT(world_ecs(), FlecsDash);
+        ECS_IMPORT(world_ecs(), FlecsSystemsCivetweb);
+        
+        ecs_set(world_ecs(), 0, EcsDashServer, {.port = 27001});
+        ecs_set_target_fps(world_ecs(), 60);
+    }
+    
+    zpl_printf("[INFO] Initializing network...\n");
+    network_init();
+    network_server_start("0.0.0.0", 27000);
+}
+
+int8_t game_is_networked() {
+    return 1;
+}
+
+void game_shutdown() {
+    network_server_stop();
+    network_destroy();
+    world_destroy();
+    sighandler_unregister();
+    zpl_printf("Bye!\n");
+}
+
+uint8_t game_is_running() {
+    return 1;
+}
+
+void game_input() {
+    
+}
+
+void game_update() {
+    network_server_tick();
+    world_update();
+}
+
+void game_render() {
+}
+
diff --git a/code/apps/server/source/main.c b/code/apps/server/source/main.c
index 21f14d3..1c2dc86 100644
--- a/code/apps/server/source/main.c
+++ b/code/apps/server/source/main.c
@@ -24,18 +24,6 @@
     } \
 } while (0)
 
-static WORLD_PKT_READER(mp_pkt_reader) {
-    pkt_header header = {0};
-    uint32_t ok = pkt_header_decode(&header, data, datalen);
-    
-    if (ok && header.ok) {
-        return pkt_handlers[header.id].handler(&header) >= 0;
-    } else {
-        zpl_printf("[warn] unknown packet id %d (header %d data %d)\n", header.id, ok, header.ok);
-    }
-    return -1;
-}
-
 zpl_global zpl_b32 is_running = true;
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
@@ -74,36 +62,14 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
         generate_minimap(seed, block_size, chunk_size, world_size);
         return 0;
     }
-
-    sighandler_register();
-    stdcpp_set_os_api();
-
-    zpl_printf("[INFO] Generating world of size: %d x %d\n", world_size, world_size);
-    IF(world_init(seed, block_size, chunk_size, world_size, mp_pkt_reader, mp_pkt_writer));
-
-    /* server dashboard */
-    {
-        ECS_IMPORT(world_ecs(), FlecsDash);
-        ECS_IMPORT(world_ecs(), FlecsSystemsCivetweb);
-
-        ecs_set(world_ecs(), 0, EcsDashServer, {.port = 27001});
-        ecs_set_target_fps(world_ecs(), 60);
-    }
-
-    zpl_printf("[INFO] Initializing network...\n");
-    IF(network_init());
-    IF(network_server_start("0.0.0.0", 27000));
+    
+    game_init(1, seed, block_size, chunk_size, world_size);
 
     while (is_running) {
-        network_server_tick();
-        world_update();
+        game_update();
     }
-
-    IF(network_server_stop());
-    IF(network_destroy());
-    IF(world_destroy());
-    sighandler_unregister();
-    zpl_printf("Bye!\n");
+    
+    game_shutdown();
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/code/apps/client/header/game.h b/code/common/game.h
similarity index 90%
rename from code/apps/client/header/game.h
rename to code/common/game.h
index 404ec0f..b48f63a 100644
--- a/code/apps/client/header/game.h
+++ b/code/common/game.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 void game_init(int8_t play_mode, int32_t seed, uint16_t block_size, uint16_t chunk_size, uint16_t world_size);
 void game_shutdown();
 uint8_t game_is_running();
+int8_t game_is_networked();
 
 void game_input();
 void game_update();
diff --git a/code/common/packets/pkt_01_welcome.c b/code/common/packets/pkt_01_welcome.c
index 81b161d..3e1032a 100644
--- a/code/common/packets/pkt_01_welcome.c
+++ b/code/common/packets/pkt_01_welcome.c
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "pkt_01_welcome.h"
 #include "world.h"
+#include "game.h"
 
 pkt_desc pkt_01_welcome_desc[] = {
     { PKT_FIELD(CWP_ITEM_POSITIVE_INTEGER, pkt_01_welcome, block_size) },
@@ -21,6 +22,8 @@ int32_t pkt_01_welcome_handler(pkt_header *header) {
 
     zpl_printf("we received: block_size: %d, chunk_size: %d and world_size: %d\n", table.block_size, table.chunk_size, table.world_size);
     
-    world_init_minimal(table.block_size, table.chunk_size, table.world_size, NULL, NULL);
+    if (game_is_networked()) {
+        world_init_minimal(table.block_size, table.chunk_size, table.world_size, NULL, NULL);
+    }
     return 0;
 }