Ready Player One

by Ernest Cline

Setting

In the year 2045, the world is gripped by an energy crisis and global warming, causing widespread social problems and economic stagnation. The primary escape for most people is a virtual universe called the OASIS, which is accessed with a visor and haptic gloves. It functions both as an MMORPG and as a virtual society, with its currency being the most stable currency in the world. It was created by James Halliday, who has recently died. His will left a series of clues towards an Easter Egg, hidden behind a series of gates unlocked with keys within the OASIS that would grant whoever found it both his fortune and control of the OASIS itself. This has led to an intense interest in all aspects of 80's pop culture, which Halliday made clear would be essential to finding his egg.

Plot

Wade Watts is a teenager who lives in a slum with his aunt. He attends school within the OASIS but lacks the virtual currency or XP levels to travel to other locations. He is a 'gunter' (an egg hunter) who spends all his spare time researching films, songs, TV series and videogames from the 80s and 90s to aid his hunt. The hunt has been going on for five years, yet no one has been able to find the first key. Then, Wade, who goes by the avatar name Parzival, stumbles upon a NPC character at Joust, is given a key which unlocks the first gate. This places him in a simulation of the film WarGames in which he has to recreate the lines of the lead character. After clearing the gate, he is awarded points and his avatar's name appears on the previously empty scoreboard. His avatar becomes famous within the OASIS, as does his friend Aech and another gunter named Art3mis who clear the gate shortly after him. He takes advantage of his fame, endorsing virtual products for credits, and develops a tentative relationship with Art3mis. He is approached by Innovative Online Industries (IOI) who want to control the OASIS and after he refuses, they attempt to assassinate him.

The hunt for the egg continues and more keys are discovered and gates are cleared, with two Japanese hunters named Daito and Shoto gaining points. Wade loses both his place at the top of the leaderboard and his friendship with Aech and Art3mis, becoming increasingly isolated. Art3mis opens the second gate and obtains the Jade key, followed by Aech who also gives Parzival a hint about its location. IOI who had been monitoring Art3mis and Aech's whereabouts using OASIS items also discover its location. Shortly after, Parzival, Daito and Shoto also reach the gate's location but Daito is killed by IOI in real life while helping Shoto open the second gate. Eventually the final gate is discovered by IOI who are unable to open it, having missed a previous clue saying that the gate cannot be opened by a single avatar, but by three instead. They barricade the location with an impenetrable force field, so Wade infiltrates the real world headquarters of IOI, accesses their databases and leaves a booby trap to bring down the force field from within. He enlists the help of all the gunters in the OASIS to launch a coordinated assault on the corporate forces, while he Aech and Art3mis activate the final gate. During the battle a doomsday device is activated killing every avatar in the sector, but Parzival had unknowingly gained an extra life earlier in his quest and survives. While the sector is empty he solves the final puzzle, clears the gate and claims the egg. He thus gains control of the OASIS, including the ability to switch it off, while in real life, he and Art3mis finally meet in person and kiss.