Managing Multiple Worlds on One Server: Multiverse Tips

Minecraft servers can offer incredible gameplay experiences, but one way to elevate your server to the next level is by managing multiple worlds. Whether you're looking to separate survival and creative worlds, have a dedicated hub, or just want to organize minigames — using multiple worlds is a game changer. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about running multiple worlds with Multiverse, including installation, configuration, useful commands, and optimization tips.

What Is Multiverse?

Multiverse is a Bukkit/Spigot plugin that allows server owners to manage multiple Minecraft worlds on one server instance. It supports world teleportation, permissions, separate game modes, and more. With Multiverse, you can run a creative world, a survival world, and even a PvP arena all in the same server instance — and players can seamlessly switch between them.

Why Use Multiple Worlds?

Here are some practical uses for managing multiple worlds on a Minecraft server:

Separate Game Modes: Creative, Survival, Adventure, and Hardcore worlds.
Different Projects: A building world, a Redstone testing world, and an open-world survival map.
Minigames: Keep minigames in their own isolated environment.
Server Hub: Use a hub world that links to other maps via portals or commands.
Seasonal Worlds: Have a winter holiday world or Halloween-themed event world.

Installing Multiverse-Core

To get started, you’ll need to install the core plugin: Multiverse-Core.

1. Download the latest version of Multiverse-Core from:
https://dev.bukkit.org/projects/multiverse-core

2. Place the .jar file in your server’s `plugins/` directory.

3. Restart your server.

After the server has restarted, Multiverse-Core will generate its configuration files and be ready to use.

Creating New Worlds

You can create as many worlds as your server can handle. Use the following command to create a new world:

/mv create <world_name> <normal/nether/end> -g <generator>

Example:

/mv create creative normal

This creates a new "creative" world using the default generator.

Teleporting Between Worlds

To switch between worlds, use:

/mv tp <world_name>

Example:

/mv tp creative

Players with the right permissions can use this to quickly move between worlds.

Importing Existing Worlds

If you have a pre-built map or previously saved world folder, you can import it:

/mv import <world_name> <normal/nether/end>

Make sure the world folder is already in your server’s root directory. For example:

/mv import SkyBlock normal

Managing Game Modes Per World

You can force specific game modes per world. For example, make one world always creative and another always survival. Open worlds.yml located in plugins/Multiverse-Core/ and edit each world’s settings:

creative:
  gamemode: CREATIVE
survival:
  gamemode: SURVIVAL

Or set it via command:

/mv modify set gamemode CREATIVE creative

Using Portals to Travel Between Worlds

Install the Multiverse-Portals plugin for this feature.

Create a portal frame (e.g., with glass or obsidian) and select it with the wand tool:

/mvp wand

Left-click and right-click two opposite corners of the portal area, then:

/mvp create <portal_name>
/mvp modify dest <world_name>

Now when players walk into the portal, they’ll be transported to the desired world.

Setting a Default World

Want your players to spawn in a specific world when they join? You can set a default spawn world:

server.properties
level-name=hub

Alternatively, use a spawn plugin like EssentialsXSpawn to control spawn behavior.

Permissions Setup

Multiverse requires permissions to manage access. Use LuckPerms or PermissionsEx and assign nodes like:

multiverse.core.tp
multiverse.core.create
multiverse.core.import
multiverse.core.spawn
multiverse.core.who

You can also restrict players from going to certain worlds using:

multiverse.access.<world_name>

For example, block access to your admin world:

multiverse.access.adminworld: false

Setting Spawn Locations Per World

You can manually set the spawn location in each world:

/mv setspawn

Players can also return to a world’s spawn using:

/mv spawn

World Configuration in worlds.yml

The worlds.yml file contains per-world settings such as:

Game mode
PVP toggle
Difficulty
Animal/monster spawning
Weather
World alias

Example configuration:

creative:
  alias: '&bCreative'
  gamemode: CREATIVE
  pvp: false
  difficulty: PEACEFUL
  animals: true
  monsters: false

Backing Up Worlds

Each world is stored in its own folder. To back up your worlds:

/world
  /world
  /world_nether
  /world_the_end
  /creative
  /hub

Simply compress the desired folders into ZIP files regularly.

Optimizing Performance with Multiple Worlds

Running many worlds increases RAM and CPU usage. To keep your server running smoothly:

Use a plugin like ClearLag or Spark to monitor and reduce lag.
Unload unused worlds with /mv unload <world_name>
Set inactive worlds to not auto-load in worlds.yml
Limit mob spawns in certain worlds
Pre-generate chunks using Chunky or WorldBorder

Using World Aliases for Friendly Names

You can set aliases that appear in teleport messages:

/mv modify set alias "&6Creative World" creative

This makes teleportation messages look more professional and user-friendly.

Deleting a World Safely

If you no longer need a world, follow these steps:

Unload the world:

/mv unload <world_name>

Delete the world folder from the server directory.
Remove its entry from worlds.yml.

NEVER delete a world while it's loaded — this could cause server corruption.

Recommended Multiverse Addons

Multiverse-Portals: For creating teleportation portals between worlds.
Multiverse-Inventories: To keep player inventories separate across worlds.
Multiverse-NetherPortals: Manage Nether and End world links for custom worlds.

Useful Multiverse Commands

/mv list                         - Shows all loaded worlds
/mv tp <world>                   - Teleports you to a world
/mv create <world> <type>        - Creates a new world
/mv import <name> <type>         - Imports an existing world
/mv unload <world>               - Unloads a world
/mv delete <world>               - Deletes world from config (manual folder deletion still required)
/mv spawn                        - Teleports to world spawn
/mv setspawn                     - Sets current location as world spawn
/mv modify set gamemode SURVIVAL <world> - Changes game mode
/mv info <world>                 - View world settings

Conclusion

Managing multiple worlds on your Minecraft server opens up endless possibilities for creativity, organization, and gameplay variety. With Multiverse and its addons, you can create specialized environments for any use case — from survival and creative maps to minigames, lobbies, and beyond. Just remember to monitor server performance, assign proper permissions, and back up regularly.

Once you’ve mastered the setup, your server will feel more dynamic and professional — attracting more players and offering a richer experience for everyone.

Got a cool multi-world server setup? Share your ideas and portals with us in the comments!