OurWorld

Website review by Erin Brereton, Common Sense Media
OurWorld Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 13+

Virtual world with games and some smart parental controls.

http://www.ourworld.com
Rate website

Parents say

age 14+

Based on 62 reviews

Kids say

age 12+

Based on 236 reviews

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this website.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that OurWorld is a virtual world where kids can play chat and play games; a few of the games have violent content. For kids to chat, they need to first send a parent verification email through the site. If they're under 13, parents are told kids' communications will be filtered to ensure they're only using approved words and phrases. However, parents can change their child's settings to let them chat openly with other users; so if kids enter their email address for the verification, they can easily unlock any restrictions.

Community Reviews

Neemaa
Neemaa Adult
August 23, 2020
age 16+

It's not the game- it's the players.

Let's be honest, most communities have their fair share of toxicity. I'm 18 and I've been playing ourWorld since I was 10 years old. In my experience of playing I have seen pedophiles, scammers, hackers, and racists. Yes, there is a chat filter, but there are ways to get around it (saying sejx or secks instead of sex, pssy or puci instead of pussy, dhk or dijck instead of dick, etc.). To be honest, it's up to the person playing the game to be smart and avoid these people. As a parent, you need to discuss with you children the dangers of the internet because pedophiles, scammers, and hackers can be found on any internet and social media platform. The person who plays this game needs to have a good head on their shoulders so they don't involve themselves in the toxicity that is naturally there. Not everyone is a terrible person of course, but I personally would not recommend allowing anyone below the age of 16 playing this. I still play ourWorld today, just to make pretty outfits. You don't need to talk to people to have fun on the game.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
cassadyoung
cassadyoung Adult
May 27, 2020
age 14+

our world creators don't care about the game

I used to play this game back in 2010 when I was 10 and it was very fun and the software was actually nice and working the creators would always update if it started to get real bad. Then ow kind of started to die and less people logged in, so the creators stopped trying as much (very understandable) less money =less effort. But since covid-19 there have been so many people I met on ow who are logging into their old accounts and playing everyday again, spending lots of money, since we are adults now, and ow is still very laggy, needs a software update, and need to put more effort into the game itself (clothes and places wise).
See all 62 parent reviews

What’s It About?

Teens have yet another place to wander and interact, play games, and shop for items to beautify their avatars with OURWORLD.COM -- a virtual world with better-than-average graphics. Avatars can zip between a coffeehouse, dance club, and theater (among other locations), and wave, dance, and chat with each other via thought bubbles. For the more action-oriented, the site offers dozens of games which range from those based on logic (Jewel Quest involves lining up symbols) to old-fashioned, arcade-like ones (Condor Cowboys knocks bandits off giant birds). Kids can pick their difficulty level; playing any of the games earns you \"flow,\" which is OurWorld.com's \"energy.\" Flow can be used to buy hairstyles and clothes -- and can be used to spin a prize wheel that can generate \"coins,\" the site's currency, which is also used to buy things. Paid memberships ($6 a month or $50 a year) get you access to even more stuff.

Is It Any Good?

Parents have some control over what their kids can do on the OURWORLD site: They can decide whether kids can talk with strangers, friends, or not chat at all when they sign up, and can restrict kids from making any changes to their account settings. A language filter also helps prevent swears from being used in chats. However, the site is definitely geared toward kids who are tweens or older; it can be a little tricky to navigate around, and although many of the 40 or so puzzle, matching, and other games are tame, some action games involve shooting and killing that could be too violent for younger users.

OurWorld should provide some generally safeguarded fun as you make your avatar dance and travel around the virtual world. However, it's unclear if kids will log on for long without wanting to buy one of the paid subscriptions ($5.99-$10 per month or $49.99 a year) to help them rise through the site levels faster and access exclusive areas. There's also a push to purchase gems, one of the two forms of site currency, to get special virtual accessories -- but many kids will still find fun things to do on the site for free.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why it can be risky to chat openly online with strangers. Why is it safer to have pre-scripted responses, or to have some words blocked?

  • Families can also talk about what type of information is safe to share with others online. Why should you never give out any information that's considered personal, like the town that you live in?

  • How should you handle an unwelcome invite to chat or an inappropriate comment from another user?

Website Details

Our Editors Recommend

  • Fight My Monster Poster Image

    Fight My Monster

    Fun battles, lots of interaction on social gaming site.

    age 8+
  • McWorld Poster Image

    McWorld

    Well-done virtual world peppered with McDonald's mentions.

    age 8+
  • Innerstar University Poster Image

    Innerstar University

    Buy American Girl, play in safe, positive virtual world.

    age 8+

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate