diff --git a/packages/core/src/Networking/Entities/Player.ts b/packages/core/src/Networking/Entities/Player.ts
index aa6edc2..1bc176e 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/Networking/Entities/Player.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/Networking/Entities/Player.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ export default abstract class Player extends NetworkedLivingActor {
 
   trackedEntities = new Set<string>()
 
-  public serialize(): object {
+  public serialize() {
     return {
       ...super.serialize(),
       $typeName: this.$typeName,
diff --git a/packages/core/src/Networking/NetworkedEntityFactory.ts b/packages/core/src/Networking/NetworkedEntityFactory.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5e3d0dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/Networking/NetworkedEntityFactory.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import type NetworkedActor from './NetworkedActor'
+
+type EntityFactory = (data: Record<string, unknown>) => NetworkedActor
+const registry = new Map<string, EntityFactory>()
+
+export default class NetworkedEntityFactory {
+  private static _instance: NetworkedEntityFactory
+
+  static get instance(): NetworkedEntityFactory {
+    if (!NetworkedEntityFactory._instance) {
+      NetworkedEntityFactory._instance = new NetworkedEntityFactory()
+    }
+
+    return NetworkedEntityFactory._instance
+  }
+
+  register(typeName: string, factory: EntityFactory) {
+    registry.set(typeName, factory)
+  }
+
+  create(typeName: string, data: Record<string, unknown>): NetworkedActor | null {
+    const factory = registry.get(typeName)
+
+    return factory ? factory(data) : null
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/core/src/Networking/NetworkedLivingActor.ts b/packages/core/src/Networking/NetworkedLivingActor.ts
index 437ec92..4e52c16 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/Networking/NetworkedLivingActor.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/Networking/NetworkedLivingActor.ts
@@ -35,11 +35,18 @@ export default abstract class NetworkedLivingActor extends NetworkedGameObjectMi
     }
   }
 
-  public serialize(): object {
+  public serialize(): {
+    id: string
+    position: Vector3
+    rotation: Vector3
+    scale: Vector3
+    health: number
+    state: NetworkedEntityState[]
+  } {
     return {
       ...super.serialize(),
       state: this.state,
-    }
+    } as ReturnType<NetworkedLivingActor['serialize']>
   }
 
   isDead(): boolean {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/World/Chunk.ts b/packages/core/src/World/Chunk.ts
index 1da7bf8..522b7ec 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/World/Chunk.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/World/Chunk.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@
 import GameObject from './GameObject'
 
 export default class Chunk extends GameObject {
-  public serialize(): object {
-    throw new Error('Method not implemented.')
-  }
-
   static CHUNK_SIZE: number
 
   constructor(x: number, y: number) {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/World/GameObject.ts b/packages/core/src/World/GameObject.ts
index dd15ab9..cb8c80b 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/World/GameObject.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/World/GameObject.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ export default abstract class GameObject extends Entity implements GameObjectInt
 
   abstract update(delta: number): void
 
-  public serialize(): object {
+  public serialize() {
     return {
       id: this.id,
       position: this.position,
diff --git a/packages/core/src/World/LivingActor.ts b/packages/core/src/World/LivingActor.ts
index 52337cc..3e25095 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/World/LivingActor.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/World/LivingActor.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ export default abstract class LivingActor extends Actor implements LivingEntity
   abstract takeDamage(amount: number): void
   abstract heal(amount: number): void
 
-  public serialize(): object {
+  public serialize() {
     return {
       ...super.serialize(),
       health: this.health,
diff --git a/packages/core/tests/Networking/NetworkedEntityFactory.test.ts b/packages/core/tests/Networking/NetworkedEntityFactory.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..12829fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/tests/Networking/NetworkedEntityFactory.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import NetworkedActor from '../../src/Networking/NetworkedActor'
+import NetworkedEntityFactory from '../../src/Networking/NetworkedEntityFactory'
+
+class TestActor extends NetworkedActor {
+  $typeName = 'testActor'
+  updateFromNetwork = (_data: object) => { }
+  update(_delta: number): void { }
+}
+
+describe('networkedEntityFactory', () => {
+  let factory: NetworkedEntityFactory
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    factory = new NetworkedEntityFactory()
+  })
+
+  it('returns null for an unregistered type', () => {
+    expect(factory.create('unknown', { id: 'id-1' })).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('creates a registered entity', () => {
+    factory.register('testActor', (data) => {
+      const actor = new TestActor()
+      actor.id = data.id as string
+      return actor
+    })
+
+    const actor = factory.create('testActor', { id: 'id-1' })
+    expect(actor).toBeInstanceOf(TestActor)
+  })
+
+  it('passes id and data to the factory function', () => {
+    const data = { x: 10, y: 20, id: 'id-42' }
+    let capturedId: string | undefined
+    let capturedData: Record<string, unknown> | undefined
+
+    factory.register('testActor', (data) => {
+      capturedId = data.id as string
+      capturedData = data
+      return new TestActor()
+    })
+
+    factory.create('testActor', data)
+    expect(capturedId).toBe('id-42')
+    expect(capturedData).toEqual(data)
+  })
+
+  it('overwrites a previously registered factory', () => {
+    factory.register('testActor', () => {
+      const a = new TestActor()
+      a.$typeName = 'first'
+      return a
+    })
+    factory.register('testActor', () => {
+      const a = new TestActor()
+      a.$typeName = 'second'
+      return a
+    })
+
+    const actor = factory.create('testActor', 'id-1', {}) as TestActor
+    expect(actor.$typeName).toBe('second')
+  })
+
+  it('handles multiple registered types independently', () => {
+    class OtherActor extends NetworkedActor {
+      $typeName = 'otherActor'
+      updateFromNetwork = (_data: object) => { }
+      update(_delta: number): void { }
+    }
+
+    factory.register('testActor', () => new TestActor())
+    factory.register('otherActor', () => new OtherActor())
+
+    expect(factory.create('testActor', 'id-1', {})).toBeInstanceOf(TestActor)
+    expect(factory.create('otherActor', 'id-2', {})).toBeInstanceOf(OtherActor)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/multiplayer-template/client/src/Entities/Player.ts b/packages/multiplayer-template/client/src/Entities/Player.ts
index f5df611..15746f6 100644
--- a/packages/multiplayer-template/client/src/Entities/Player.ts
+++ b/packages/multiplayer-template/client/src/Entities/Player.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
+import NetworkedEntityFactory from '@mavonengine/core/Networking/NetworkedEntityFactory'
 import { syncStateStack } from '@mavonengine/core/Networking/syncState'
 import BasePlayer from '@template/server/Base/Player'
 import { Vector3 } from 'three'
 import IdleState from '../Player/IdleState'
 import WalkingState from '../Player/WalkingState'
+import useNetworkState from '../UI/composables/useNetworkState'
 import PlayerLabel from '../ui/PlayerLabel'
 import PlayerGraphicsComponent from './Player/PlayerGraphicsComponent'
 
@@ -20,6 +22,16 @@ export default class Character extends BasePlayer {
     this.graphicalComponent.init()
 
     this.label = new PlayerLabel(this, isLocalPlayer ? 'You' : 'Player', isLocalPlayer)
+
+    if (!isLocalPlayer) {
+      const { networkState } = useNetworkState()
+      networkState.value.players++
+    }
+
+    NetworkedEntityFactory.instance.register(this.$typeName, (data) => {
+      const d = data as ReturnType<BasePlayer['serialize']>
+      return new Character(d.id, false, new Vector3(d.position.x, d.position.y, d.position.z))
+    })
   }
 
   /** Called by GameSyncManager when this player sends a chat. */
@@ -61,6 +73,11 @@ export default class Character extends BasePlayer {
   }
 
   destroy(): void {
+    if (!this.isLocalPlayer) {
+      const { networkState } = useNetworkState()
+      networkState.value.players--
+    }
+
     this.graphicalComponent.destroy()
     this.label.destroy()
     super.destroy()
diff --git a/packages/multiplayer-template/client/src/GameSyncManager.ts b/packages/multiplayer-template/client/src/GameSyncManager.ts
index 25adf45..f2d8270 100644
--- a/packages/multiplayer-template/client/src/GameSyncManager.ts
+++ b/packages/multiplayer-template/client/src/GameSyncManager.ts
@@ -4,11 +4,10 @@ import type NetworkManager from './NetworkManager'
 import type PlayerController from './PlayerController'
 import Game from '@mavonengine/core/Game'
 import NetworkedActor from '@mavonengine/core/Networking/NetworkedActor'
+import NetworkedEntityFactory from '@mavonengine/core/Networking/NetworkedEntityFactory'
 import NetworkedGameObject from '@mavonengine/core/Networking/NetworkedGameObject'
 import { ServerCommand } from '@template/server/Commands'
-import { Vector3 } from 'three'
 import Character from './Entities/Player'
-import useNetworkState from './UI/composables/useNetworkState'
 import Trees from './World/Trees'
 
 export default class GameSyncManager implements GameObjectInterface {
@@ -60,7 +59,7 @@ export default class GameSyncManager implements GameObjectInterface {
     this.networkManager.destroy()
   }
 
-  update(_delta: number) {}
+  update(_delta: number) { }
 
   private handleStateUpdate(data: any) {
     const updatedEntities: any[] = data.entities
@@ -75,18 +74,9 @@ export default class GameSyncManager implements GameObjectInterface {
         (existing as NetworkedActor).updateFromNetwork(inEntity)
       }
       else if (this.networkManager.socket.id !== inEntity.id) {
-        // Remote player we haven't seen yet
-        if (inEntity.$typeName === 'player') {
-          const { networkState } = useNetworkState()
-          networkState.value.players++
-
-          const newChar = new Character(
-            inEntity.id,
-            false,
-            new Vector3(inEntity.position.x, inEntity.position.y, inEntity.position.z),
-          )
-          Game.instance().world.entities.items.set(inEntity.id, newChar)
-        }
+        const instance = NetworkedEntityFactory.instance.create(inEntity.$typeName, inEntity)
+        if (instance)
+          Game.instance().world.entities.items.set(inEntity.id, instance)
       }
       else {
         // This is our own player coming back from the server
@@ -113,10 +103,5 @@ export default class GameSyncManager implements GameObjectInterface {
 
     entity.destroy()
     Game.instance().world.entities.items.delete(entityId)
-
-    if (entity instanceof Character) {
-      const { networkState } = useNetworkState()
-      networkState.value.players = Math.max(0, networkState.value.players - 1)
-    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/multiplayer-template/server/src/Base/Player.ts b/packages/multiplayer-template/server/src/Base/Player.ts
index 4fddcbf..d0d9e88 100644
--- a/packages/multiplayer-template/server/src/Base/Player.ts
+++ b/packages/multiplayer-template/server/src/Base/Player.ts
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ export default class Player extends BasePlayer {
     super.destroy()
   }
 
-  public serialize(): object {
+  public serialize() {
     return {
       ...super.serialize(),
       name: this.name,