diff --git a/src/Assets/AssetManager.cpp b/src/Assets/AssetManager.cpp
index 0ca523cc..9c4c0bd6 100644
--- a/src/Assets/AssetManager.cpp
+++ b/src/Assets/AssetManager.cpp
@@ -206,6 +206,29 @@ std::shared_ptr<Material> AssetManager::registerMaterial(std::shared_ptr<Materia
     return material;
 
 }
+
+/**
+ * Registers an overriden material if the material if it is not found, and returns the material that should be used.
+ * if the material is not found, itself is returned, if it is found, the original one is returned.
+ *
+ * for insterting in to possible materials list, original hash is used instead of current, because the material is
+ * an override for the original hash, not for the current hash
+ *
+ * @param material to register or search for the original
+ * @return material that should be used.
+ */
+std::shared_ptr<Material> AssetManager::registerOverriddenMaterial(std::shared_ptr<Material> material) {
+    const auto foundIt = materials.find(material->getOriginalHash());
+    if(foundIt != materials.end()) {
+        //std::cerr << "Material found, return "<< material->getName() << std::endl;
+        foundIt->second.second++;
+        return foundIt->second.first;
+    }
+    //not found, add
+    //std::cerr << "Material not found, create for " << material->getName() << std::endl;
+    materials[material->getOriginalHash()] = std::make_pair(material, 1);
+    return material;
+}
 void AssetManager::unregisterMaterial(std::shared_ptr<Material> material) {
     auto materialIt = materials.find(material->getOriginalHash());
     if(materialIt == materials.end()) {
diff --git a/src/Assets/AssetManager.h b/src/Assets/AssetManager.h
index e71a076d..9012daf9 100644
--- a/src/Assets/AssetManager.h
+++ b/src/Assets/AssetManager.h
@@ -443,6 +443,9 @@ class AssetManager {
     }
 
     std::shared_ptr<Material> registerMaterial(std::shared_ptr<Material> material);
+
+    std::shared_ptr<Material> registerOverriddenMaterial(std::shared_ptr<Material> material);
+
     void unregisterMaterial(std::shared_ptr<Material> material);
     const std::map<size_t, std::pair<std::shared_ptr<Material>, uint32_t>>& getMaterials() const;
 
diff --git a/src/Material.cpp b/src/Material.cpp
index 39fc8083..544ce3db 100644
--- a/src/Material.cpp
+++ b/src/Material.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 
 #include <ImGui/imgui.h>
 #include "Material.h"
+
+#include <WorldLoader.h>
+#include <WorldSaver.h>
+
 #include "API/Graphics/GraphicsInterface.h"
 
 void Material::loadGPUSide(AssetManager *assetManager) {
@@ -74,6 +78,166 @@ ImGuiResult Material::addImGuiEditorElements(const ImGuiRequest &request [[gnu::
     return result;
 }
 
+bool Material::serialize(tinyxml2::XMLDocument &document, tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialsNode) const {
+    tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialNode = document.NewElement("Material");
+        materialsNode->InsertEndChild(materialNode);
+        tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialNameNode = document.NewElement("Name");
+        materialNameNode->SetText(this->getName().c_str());
+        materialNode->InsertEndChild(materialNameNode);
+        tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialAmbientColorNode = document.NewElement("AmbientColor");
+        WorldSaver::serializeVec3(document, materialAmbientColorNode, this->getAmbientColor());
+        materialNode->InsertEndChild(materialAmbientColorNode);
+        tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialDiffuseColorNode = document.NewElement("DiffuseColor");
+        WorldSaver::serializeVec3(document, materialDiffuseColorNode, this->getDiffuseColor());
+        materialNode->InsertEndChild(materialDiffuseColorNode);
+        tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialSpecularColorNode = document.NewElement("SpecularColor");
+        WorldSaver::serializeVec3(document, materialSpecularColorNode, this->getSpecularColor());
+        materialNode->InsertEndChild(materialSpecularColorNode);
+        tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialIndexNode = document.NewElement("MaterialIndex");
+        materialIndexNode->SetText(this->getMaterialIndex());
+        materialNode->InsertEndChild(materialIndexNode);
+        tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialSpecularExponentNode = document.NewElement("SpecularExponent");
+        materialSpecularExponentNode->SetText(this->getSpecularExponent());
+        materialNode->InsertEndChild(materialSpecularExponentNode);
+        tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialRefractionIndexNode = document.NewElement("RefractionIndex");
+        materialRefractionIndexNode->SetText(this->getRefractionIndex());
+        materialNode->InsertEndChild(materialRefractionIndexNode);
+        tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialOriginalHashNode = document.NewElement("OriginalHash");
+        materialOriginalHashNode->SetText(this->getOriginalHash());
+        materialNode->InsertEndChild(materialOriginalHashNode);
+
+        //now the textures. They might or might not exists, we need to check
+        if (this->getAmbientTexture() != nullptr) {
+            tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialAmbientTextureNode = document.NewElement("AmbientTexture");
+            materialAmbientTextureNode->SetText(StringUtils::join(this->getAmbientTexture()->getName(), ",").c_str());
+            materialNode->InsertEndChild(materialAmbientTextureNode);
+        }
+
+        if (this->getDiffuseTexture() != nullptr) {
+            tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialDiffuseTextureNode = document.NewElement("DiffuseTexture");
+            materialDiffuseTextureNode->SetText(StringUtils::join(this->getDiffuseTexture()->getName(), ",").c_str());
+            materialNode->InsertEndChild(materialDiffuseTextureNode);
+        }
+
+        if (this->getSpecularTexture() != nullptr) {
+            tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialSpecularTextureNode = document.NewElement("SpecularTexture");
+            materialSpecularTextureNode->SetText(StringUtils::join(this->getSpecularTexture()->getName(), ",").c_str());
+            materialNode->InsertEndChild(materialSpecularTextureNode);
+        }
+
+        if (this->getNormalTexture() != nullptr) {
+            tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialNormalTextureNode = document.NewElement("NormalTexture");
+            materialNormalTextureNode->SetText(StringUtils::join(this->getNormalTexture()->getName(), ",").c_str());
+            materialNode->InsertEndChild(materialNormalTextureNode);
+        }
+
+        if (this->getOpacityTexture() != nullptr) {
+            tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialOpacityTextureNode = document.NewElement("OpacityTexture");
+            materialOpacityTextureNode->SetText(StringUtils::join(this->getOpacityTexture()->getName(), ",").c_str());
+            materialNode->InsertEndChild(materialOpacityTextureNode);
+        }
+    return true;
+}
+
+std::shared_ptr<Material> Material::deserialize(AssetManager* assetManager, tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialNode) {
+
+        std::string name = materialNode->FirstChildElement("Name")->GetText();
+
+        glm::vec3 ambientColor;
+        WorldLoader::loadVec3(materialNode->FirstChildElement("AmbientColor"), ambientColor);
+
+        glm::vec3 diffuseColor;
+        WorldLoader::loadVec3(materialNode->FirstChildElement("DiffuseColor"), diffuseColor);
+
+        glm::vec3 specularColor;
+        WorldLoader::loadVec3(materialNode->FirstChildElement("SpecularColor"), specularColor);
+
+        size_t originalHash = 0;
+        uint32_t materialIndex = std::stoi(materialNode->FirstChildElement("MaterialIndex")->GetText());
+        float specularExponent = std::stof(materialNode->FirstChildElement("SpecularExponent")->GetText());
+        float refractionIndex = std::stof(materialNode->FirstChildElement("RefractionIndex")->GetText());
+        if (materialNode->FirstChildElement("OriginalHash") != nullptr && materialNode->FirstChildElement("OriginalHash")->GetText() != nullptr) {
+            std::string originalHashStr = materialNode->FirstChildElement("OriginalHash")->GetText();
+            std::stringstream stream(originalHashStr);
+            stream >> originalHash;
+        }
+
+        std::shared_ptr<Material> material = std::make_shared<Material>(assetManager, name, materialIndex, specularExponent, ambientColor, diffuseColor, specularColor,
+                                                                        refractionIndex);
+
+        tinyxml2::XMLElement *textureNode = materialNode->FirstChildElement("AmbientTexture");
+        if (textureNode) {
+            std::vector<std::string> textureNames = StringUtils::split(textureNode->GetText(), ",");
+            if(textureNames.size() == 1) {
+                material->setAmbientTexture(textureNames[0]);
+            } else if (textureNames.size() == 2) {
+                material->setAmbientTexture(textureNames[0], &textureNames[1]);
+            }
+        }
+        textureNode = materialNode->FirstChildElement("DiffuseTexture");
+        if (textureNode) {
+            std::vector<std::string> textureNames = StringUtils::split(textureNode->GetText(), ",");
+            if(textureNames.size() == 1) {
+                material->setDiffuseTexture(textureNames[0]);
+            } else if (textureNames.size() == 2) {
+                material->setDiffuseTexture(textureNames[0], &textureNames[1]);
+            }
+        }
+
+        textureNode = materialNode->FirstChildElement("SpecularTexture");
+        if (textureNode) {
+            std::vector<std::string> textureNames = StringUtils::split(textureNode->GetText(), ",");
+            if(textureNames.size() == 1) {
+                material->setSpecularTexture(textureNames[0]);
+            } else if (textureNames.size() == 2) {
+                material->setSpecularTexture(textureNames[0], &textureNames[1]);
+            }
+        }
+
+        textureNode = materialNode->FirstChildElement("NormalTexture");
+        if (textureNode) {
+            std::vector<std::string> textureNames = StringUtils::split(textureNode->GetText(), ",");
+            if(textureNames.size() == 1) {
+                material->setNormalTexture(textureNames[0]);
+            } else if (textureNames.size() == 2) {
+                material->setNormalTexture(textureNames[0], &textureNames[1]);
+            }
+        }
+
+        textureNode = materialNode->FirstChildElement("OpacityTexture");
+        if (textureNode) {
+            std::vector<std::string> textureNames = StringUtils::split(textureNode->GetText(), ",");
+            if(textureNames.size() == 1) {
+                material->setOpacityTexture(textureNames[0]);
+            } else if (textureNames.size() == 2) {
+                material->setOpacityTexture(textureNames[0], &textureNames[1]);
+            }
+        }
+        uint32_t maps = 0;
+
+        if(material->hasNormalMap()) {
+            maps +=16;
+        }
+        if(material->hasAmbientMap()) {
+            maps +=8;
+        }
+        if(material->hasDiffuseMap()) {
+            maps +=4;
+        }
+        if(material->hasSpecularMap()) {
+            maps +=2;
+        }
+        if(material->hasOpacityMap()) {
+            maps +=1;
+        }
+        material->originalHash = originalHash;
+        material->setMaps(maps);
+        assetManager->registerOverriddenMaterial(material);
+        return material;
+
+
+}
+
 size_t Material::getHash() const {
     std::hash<Material> hashGenerator;
     return hashGenerator(*this);
diff --git a/src/Material.h b/src/Material.h
index 78c19c10..09cf17c2 100644
--- a/src/Material.h
+++ b/src/Material.h
@@ -61,9 +61,14 @@ class Material {
     friend class AssetManager;
     Material() {};
 
+    friend class WorldLoader;
+
+    void setOriginalHash(size_t originalHash) {
+        this->originalHash = originalHash;
+    }
 public:
     Material(AssetManager *assetManager, const std::string &name, uint32_t materialIndex, float specularExponent, const glm::vec3 &ambientColor,
-             const glm::vec3 &diffuseColor, const glm::vec3 &specularColor, float refractionIndex)
+             const glm::vec3 &diffuseColor, const glm::vec3 &specularColor, float refractionIndex)//FIXME: this should not use raw pointer
             : name(name),
               ambientColor(ambientColor),
               diffuseColor(diffuseColor),
@@ -270,6 +275,8 @@ class Material {
 
     ImGuiResult addImGuiEditorElements(const ImGuiRequest &request);
 
+    bool serialize(tinyxml2::XMLDocument &document, tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialsNode) const;
+    static std::shared_ptr<Material> deserialize(AssetManager* assetManager, tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialNode);
 #ifdef CEREAL_SUPPORT
     template<class Archive>
     void save(Archive & archive) const {
diff --git a/src/WorldLoader.cpp b/src/WorldLoader.cpp
index cf0a9d34..f27ed3e8 100644
--- a/src/WorldLoader.cpp
+++ b/src/WorldLoader.cpp
@@ -262,6 +262,11 @@ World * WorldLoader::loadMapFromXML(const std::string &worldFileName, LimonAPI *
         }
     }
 
+    if (!loadMaterials(worldNode, world)) {
+        delete world;
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
 
     //load objects
     if(!loadObjectsFromXML(worldNode, world, limonAPI)) {
@@ -1644,6 +1649,22 @@ bool WorldLoader::loadGUILayersAndElements(tinyxml2::XMLNode *worldNode, World *
     return true;
 }
 
+
+bool WorldLoader::loadMaterials(tinyxml2::XMLNode *worldNode, World *world) const {
+    tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialsNode = worldNode->FirstChildElement("Materials");
+    if (!materialsNode) {
+        std::cerr << "No materials found in XML." << std::endl;
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    for (tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialNode = materialsNode->FirstChildElement("Material");
+         materialNode != nullptr;
+         materialNode = materialNode->NextSiblingElement("Material")) {
+         std::shared_ptr<Material> material = Material::deserialize(world->assetManager.get(), materialNode);
+    }
+    return true;
+}
+
 bool WorldLoader::loadVec3(tinyxml2::XMLNode *vectorNode, glm::vec3& vector) {
     if(vectorNode == nullptr) {
         return false;
diff --git a/src/WorldLoader.h b/src/WorldLoader.h
index 82f004b9..4a156c76 100644
--- a/src/WorldLoader.h
+++ b/src/WorldLoader.h
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #ifndef LIMONENGINE_WORLDLOADER_H
 #define LIMONENGINE_WORLDLOADER_H
 
+#include <Material.h>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 #include <tinyxml2.h>
@@ -53,20 +54,23 @@ class WorldLoader {
     bool loadOnLoadActions(tinyxml2::XMLNode *worldNode, World *world) const;
     bool loadOnLoadAnimations(tinyxml2::XMLNode *worldNode, World *world) const;
     bool loadGUILayersAndElements(tinyxml2::XMLNode *worldNode, World *world) const;
+    bool loadMaterials(tinyxml2::XMLNode *worldNode, World *world) const;
 
-
-    static bool loadVec3(tinyxml2::XMLNode* vectorNode, glm::vec3& vector);
     void attachedAPIMethodsToWorld(World *world, LimonAPI *limonAPI) const;
 
 public:
     WorldLoader(std::shared_ptr<AssetManager> assetManager, InputHandler *inputHandler, OptionsUtil::Options *options);
+
     std::unique_ptr<std::string> getLoadingImage(const std::string &worldFile) const;
 
     World *loadWorld(const std::string &worldFile, LimonAPI *limonAPI) const;
 
     static std::vector<std::unique_ptr<ObjectInformation>> loadObject( std::shared_ptr<AssetManager> assetManager, tinyxml2::XMLElement *objectNode,
-                                                                          std::unordered_map<std::string, std::shared_ptr<Sound>> &requiredSounds, LimonAPI *limonAPI,
-                                                                          PhysicalRenderable *parentObject);
+                                                                       std::unordered_map<std::string, std::shared_ptr<Sound>> &requiredSounds, LimonAPI *limonAPI,
+                                                                       PhysicalRenderable *parentObject);
+
+
+    static bool loadVec3(tinyxml2::XMLNode* vectorNode, glm::vec3& vector);
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/WorldSaver.cpp b/src/WorldSaver.cpp
index f664bcb9..50a85f61 100644
--- a/src/WorldSaver.cpp
+++ b/src/WorldSaver.cpp
@@ -137,6 +137,12 @@ bool WorldSaver::saveWorld(const std::string& mapName, const World* world) {
     currentElement->SetText(world->quitWorldName.c_str());
     rootNode->InsertEndChild(currentElement);
 
+    currentElement = mapDocument.NewElement("Materials");
+    if(!fillMaterials(mapDocument, currentElement, world)) {
+        return false;
+    };
+    rootNode->InsertEndChild(currentElement);//add objects
+
     //after current element is inserted, we can reuse
     currentElement = mapDocument.NewElement("Objects");
     if(!fillObjects(mapDocument, currentElement, world)) {
@@ -593,6 +599,20 @@ bool WorldSaver::fillGUILayersAndElements(tinyxml2::XMLDocument &document, tinyx
     return true;
 }
 
+bool WorldSaver::fillMaterials(tinyxml2::XMLDocument &document, tinyxml2::XMLElement *materialsNode, const World *world) {
+    const std::map<size_t, std::pair<std::shared_ptr<Material>, uint32_t>>& materials = world->assetManager->getMaterials();
+
+    for (auto it = materials.begin(); it != materials.end(); ++it) {
+        std::shared_ptr<Material> currentMaterial = it->second.first;
+        if (currentMaterial->getHash() == currentMaterial->getOriginalHash()) {
+            //if material is not modified, we don't need to save
+            continue;
+        }
+        currentMaterial->serialize(document,materialsNode);
+    }
+    return true;
+}
+
 void WorldSaver::serializeVec3(tinyxml2::XMLDocument &document, tinyxml2::XMLElement *parentNode, const glm::vec3& vector){
     tinyxml2::XMLElement *currentElement = document.NewElement("X");
     currentElement->SetText(vector.x);
diff --git a/src/WorldSaver.h b/src/WorldSaver.h
index dc219103..fe6176a9 100644
--- a/src/WorldSaver.h
+++ b/src/WorldSaver.h
@@ -22,9 +22,10 @@ class WorldSaver {
     static bool fillOnloadActions(tinyxml2::XMLDocument &document, tinyxml2::XMLElement *onloadActionsNode, const World *world);
     static bool fillOnloadAnimations(tinyxml2::XMLDocument &document, tinyxml2::XMLElement *onloadAnimationsNode, const World *world);
     static bool fillGUILayersAndElements(tinyxml2::XMLDocument &document, tinyxml2::XMLElement *GUILayersListNode, const World *world);
-
-    static void serializeVec3(tinyxml2::XMLDocument &document, tinyxml2::XMLElement *parentNode, const glm::vec3& vector);
+    static bool fillMaterials(tinyxml2::XMLDocument & document, tinyxml2::XMLElement * materialsNode, const World * world);
 public:
+    static void serializeVec3(tinyxml2::XMLDocument &document, tinyxml2::XMLElement *parentNode, const glm::vec3& vector);
+
     static bool saveWorld(const std::string& mapName, const World* world);
 };