diff --git a/api/src/main/java/de/erethon/dungeonsxl/api/dungeon/GameRule.java b/api/src/main/java/de/erethon/dungeonsxl/api/dungeon/GameRule.java
index 07bc1d2c..4f66e23a 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/de/erethon/dungeonsxl/api/dungeon/GameRule.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/de/erethon/dungeonsxl/api/dungeon/GameRule.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
+import org.bukkit.Difficulty;
 import org.bukkit.GameMode;
 import org.bukkit.configuration.ConfigurationSection;
 
@@ -69,9 +70,13 @@ public class GameRule<V> {
      */
     public static final GameRule<GameGoal> GAME_GOAL = new GameRule<>(GameGoal.class, "gameGoal", GameGoal.END);
     /**
-     * The game mode.
+     * The Vanilla game mode.
      */
     public static final GameRule<GameMode> GAME_MODE = new GameRule<>(GameMode.class, "gameMode", GameMode.SURVIVAL);
+    /**
+     * The Vanilla difficulty.
+     */
+    public static final GameRule<Difficulty> DIFFICULTY = new GameRule<>(Difficulty.class, "difficulty", Difficulty.NORMAL);
     /**
      * If players may fly.
      */
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/de/erethon/dungeonsxl/world/DGameWorld.java b/core/src/main/java/de/erethon/dungeonsxl/world/DGameWorld.java
index a42abe83..37e8fa08 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/de/erethon/dungeonsxl/world/DGameWorld.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/de/erethon/dungeonsxl/world/DGameWorld.java
@@ -405,11 +405,12 @@ public class DGameWorld extends DInstanceWorld implements GameWorld {
     public void startGame() {
         GameWorldStartGameEvent event = new GameWorldStartGameEvent(this, (DGame) getGame());
         Bukkit.getPluginManager().callEvent(event);
-
         if (event.isCancelled()) {
             return;
         }
 
+        world.setDifficulty(getRules().getState(GameRule.DIFFICULTY));
+
         isPlaying = true;
 
         for (DungeonSign sign : getDungeonSigns()) {