diff --git a/game_root.cpp b/game_root.cpp
index da1952c..805f4eb 100644
--- a/game_root.cpp
+++ b/game_root.cpp
@@ -1,19 +1,19 @@
 #include "game_root.hpp"
+#include "game_mode.hpp"
+#include "godot_macros.h"
+#include "level.hpp"
+#include "player.hpp"
+#include "player_input.hpp"
+#include "spawn_point.hpp"
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <godot_cpp/classes/global_constants.hpp>
+#include <godot_cpp/classes/input.hpp>
 #include <godot_cpp/classes/packed_scene.hpp>
 #include <godot_cpp/classes/scene_state.hpp>
+#include <godot_cpp/core/class_db.hpp>
+#include <godot_cpp/templates/pair.hpp>
 #include <godot_cpp/variant/string_name.hpp>
 #include <godot_cpp/variant/utility_functions.hpp>
-#include <godot_cpp/classes/input.hpp>
-#include <godot_cpp/core/class_db.hpp>
-#include "godot_cpp/templates/pair.hpp"
-#include "utils/godot_macros.h"
-#include "utils/player_input.hpp"
-#include "utils/spawn_point.hpp"
-#include "utils/player.hpp"
-#include "game_mode.hpp"
-#include "level.hpp"
 
 namespace godot {
 void GameRoot::_bind_methods() {
@@ -33,8 +33,9 @@ bool GameRoot::has_singleton() {
 
 void GameRoot::_enter_tree() { GDGAMEONLY();
     // TODO: Replace this with detecting input devices
-    if(this->players.is_empty())
+    if(this->players.is_empty()) {
         this->player_connected();
+    }
     this->grab_singleton();
 }
 
@@ -42,18 +43,6 @@ void GameRoot::_exit_tree() { GDGAMEONLY();
     this->release_singleton();
 }
 
-void GameRoot::set_game_mode(Ref<GameMode> mode) {
-    if(mode.is_null() || !mode.is_valid()) {
-        this->game_mode = Ref<GameMode>();
-        return;
-    }
-    this->game_mode = mode;
-}
-
-Ref<GameMode> GameRoot::get_game_mode() const {
-    return this->game_mode;
-}
-
 void GameRoot::player_connected() {
     PlayerInput *input = memnew(PlayerInput);
     this->add_child(input);
@@ -61,26 +50,17 @@ void GameRoot::player_connected() {
     this->emit_signal(StringName("player_connected"), input);
 }
 
-bool GameRoot::initialize_player(IPlayer *player) {
-    KeyValue<uint32_t, Pair<PlayerInput*, IPlayer*>> *found{nullptr};
-    // find an unassigned player input instance
-    for(KeyValue<uint32_t, Pair<PlayerInput*, IPlayer*>> &pair : this->players) {
-        if(pair.value.second == nullptr) {
-            found = &pair;
-            break;
-        }
-    }
-    // no player slots available, notify caller
-    if(!found)
-        return false;
-    player->player_id = found->key;
-    found->value.second = player;
-    player->setup_player_input(found->value.first);
+bool GameRoot::initialize_player(IPlayer *player, uint32_t id) {
+    Pair<PlayerInput*, IPlayer*> &found{this->players.get(id)};
+    this->add_child(player->to_node());
+    player->player_id = id;
+    found.second = player;
+    player->setup_player_input(found.first);
     return true;
 }
 
 void GameRoot::reset_game_mode() {
-    this->game_mode.unref();
+    this->set_game_mode(Ref<GameMode>());
 }
 
 void GameRoot::grab_singleton() {
@@ -100,6 +80,48 @@ void GameRoot::release_singleton() {
     }
 }
 
+uint32_t GameRoot::find_empty_player_slot() const {
+    for(KeyValue<uint32_t, Pair<PlayerInput*, IPlayer*>> const &kvp : this->players) {
+        if(kvp.value.second == nullptr) {
+            return kvp.key;
+        }
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
+void GameRoot::set_game_mode(Ref<GameMode> prototype) {
+    // free all player instances in use
+    for(KeyValue<uint32_t, Pair<PlayerInput*, IPlayer*>> &pair : this->players) {
+        if(pair.value.second == nullptr) continue;
+        Node *node = dynamic_cast<Node*>(pair.value.second);
+        if(node == nullptr) {
+            UtilityFunctions::push_error("Attempt to cast player '", pair.key, "' to node failed");
+        } else {
+            node->queue_free();
+        }
+    }
+    if(prototype.is_null() || !prototype.is_valid()) {
+        this->game_mode.unref();
+        return;
+    }
+    // create new gamemode instance
+    this->game_mode = prototype->duplicate(false);
+    // copy the game state from the prototype
+    this->game_mode->set_game_state(prototype->get_game_state()->duplicate(false));
+    uint32_t new_player_id = 0;
+    do {
+        new_player_id = this->find_empty_player_slot();
+        IPlayer *player = this->spawn_player(new_player_id);
+        if(player != nullptr)
+            this->initialize_player(player, new_player_id);
+    } while(new_player_id != 0);
+}
+
+IPlayer *GameRoot::spawn_player(uint32_t id) {
+    UtilityFunctions::push_error("GameRoot::spawn_player not implemented");
+    return nullptr;
+}
+
 GameRoot *GameRoot::singleton_instance{nullptr};
 
 #undef CLASSNAME
@@ -132,7 +154,7 @@ Level3D *GameRoot3D::load_level_at(Ref<PackedScene> level, Transform3D at) {
     this->levels.insert(level->get_path(), instance);
     // if this is the first level containing a game mode currently active use it's gamemode as a prototype
     if(this->game_mode.is_null()) {
-        this->change_game_mode(instance->get_game_mode_prototype());
+        this->set_game_mode(instance->get_game_mode_prototype());
         instance->connect("tree_exited", Callable(this, "reset_game_mode"));
     }
     return instance;
@@ -172,6 +194,25 @@ Ref<PackedScene> GameRoot3D::get_first_boot_level() const {
     return this->first_boot_level;
 }
 
+IPlayer *GameRoot3D::spawn_player(uint32_t id) {
+    if(id == 0) {
+        UtilityFunctions::push_error("Failed to find any valid player slot when spawning player");
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+    Node *player_node = this->game_mode->get_player_scene()->instantiate();
+    if(player_node == nullptr) {
+        UtilityFunctions::push_error("Failed to instantiate player scene '", this->game_mode->get_player_scene()->get_path(), "'");
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+    IPlayer *player = dynamic_cast<IPlayer*>(player_node);
+    if(player == nullptr) {
+        UtilityFunctions::push_error("Player scene does not implement required IPlayer interface");
+        player_node->queue_free();
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+    return player;
+}
+
 bool GameRoot3D::is_valid_level(Ref<PackedScene> &level) {
     if(level.is_null() || !level.is_valid() || !level->can_instantiate()) {
         UtilityFunctions::push_error("Can't load level from invalid packed scene");
@@ -184,25 +225,4 @@ bool GameRoot3D::is_valid_level(Ref<PackedScene> &level) {
     }
     return true;
 }
-
-void GameRoot3D::change_game_mode(Ref<GameMode> prototype) {
-    // free all player instances in use
-    for(KeyValue<uint32_t, Pair<PlayerInput*, IPlayer*>> &pair : this->players) {
-        if(pair.value.second == nullptr) continue;
-        Node *node = dynamic_cast<Node*>(pair.value.second);
-        if(node == nullptr) {
-            UtilityFunctions::push_error("Attempt to cast player '", pair.key, "' to node failed");
-        } else {
-            node->queue_free();
-        }
-    }
-    // create new gamemode instance
-    this->game_mode = prototype->duplicate(true);
-    Node *player_node = this->game_mode->get_player_scene()->instantiate();
-    IPlayer *player = dynamic_cast<IPlayer*>(player_node);
-    if(player != nullptr) {
-        this->initialize_player(player);
-    } else {
-    }
-}
 }
diff --git a/game_root.hpp b/game_root.hpp
index 388575d..76012fa 100644
--- a/game_root.hpp
+++ b/game_root.hpp
@@ -26,21 +26,21 @@ public:
     virtual void _enter_tree() override;
     virtual void _exit_tree() override;
 
-    void set_game_mode(Ref<GameMode> mode);
-    Ref<GameMode> get_game_mode() const;
-
     void player_connected();
     void player_disconnected();
-    bool initialize_player(IPlayer *player);
+    bool initialize_player(IPlayer *player, uint32_t id);
 
     void reset_game_mode();
 protected:
     void grab_singleton();
     void release_singleton();
+    uint32_t find_empty_player_slot() const;
+    void set_game_mode(Ref<GameMode> prototype);
+    virtual IPlayer *spawn_player(uint32_t id);
 protected:
     static GameRoot *singleton_instance;
 
-    uint32_t next_player_id{0};
+    uint32_t next_player_id{1}; // 0 is the "invalid" player id
     HashMap<uint32_t, Pair<PlayerInput*, IPlayer*>> players{};
     Ref<GameMode> game_mode{};
 };
@@ -58,9 +58,10 @@ public:
 
     void set_first_boot_level(Ref<PackedScene> level);
     Ref<PackedScene> get_first_boot_level() const;
+protected:
+    virtual IPlayer *spawn_player(uint32_t id) override;
 private:
     static bool is_valid_level(Ref<PackedScene> &level);
-    void change_game_mode(Ref<GameMode> prototype);
 private:
     HashMap<StringName, Level3D*> levels{};
     HashSet<SpawnPoint3D*> spawn_points{};