COLUMBUS, OHIO 2045
"THE STACKS"
Get ready to feel the feel of reality. X1
No pain, no gain.
Pizza guys!
- Hello, Wade. - Hello, Mrs. Gilmore.
What's the matter? Life getting you down?
I was born in 2027.
After corn syrup droughts, after the bandit riots...
after people stopped trying to fix problems...
and just trying to outlive them.
My parents, they didn't make it through those times so...
I live here in Columbus, Ohio with my aunt Alice.
In 2045...
Columbus is the fastest growing city on earth.
It's where Halliday and Morrow started Gregarious Games.
These days, reality is a bummer.
Everyone is looking for a way to escape.
That's why Halliday, that's why he was such a hero to us.
He showed us that we could go somewhere without going anywhere.
You don't need a destination when you're running on a...
omnidirectional treadmill with quadrophonic pressure sensitive underlay.
James Halliday saw the future.
And then he built it.
He gave us a place to go.
A place called...
THE OASIS.
WORLD MINECRAFT
This is the OASIS.
It's a place where the limits of reality are your imagination.
You can do anything.
Go anywhere.
Like the vacation planet.
Surf a 50 foot monster wave in Hawaii...
You can ski down the pyramids...
You can climb Mount Everest...
with Batman.
Check out this place.
It's a casino the size of a planet.
You can lose your money there,
you can get married, you can get divorced.
You can... you can go in there.
PLANET LUDUS
People come to the OASIS for all the things they can do.
But they stay because of all the things they can be.
Tall, beautiful, scary, and different sex...
a different species, live action, cartoon. It's all your call.
Yeah, that's me, well, that's my avatar.
At least until I feel like to change it .
Except for eating, sleeping and bathroom breaks...
whatever people want to do, they do it in the OASIS.
And since everyone is here...
This is where we meet each other. It's where we make friends.
Locate Hache.
Locating Hache.
Hache located.
Sector 12, Planet Doom.
The Planet Doom. The most dangerous place in the OASIS.
And pretty great place to pick up coins.
Figured Hache would be there.
Hache is my best friend in the OASIS.
He's my best friend, period.
Even though I've never actually met him in the real world.
- What's up, Hache? - Hey what up, Z!
The next race is in 20 minutes and I can't delay one.
What the hell are you up to?
Man, you're in my kill zone, bro.
- Is that Daito? - Daito and Sho.
- Arigato. - Xie Xie.
- This an artifact hunt? - Yep, Gregarious 120.
Turn into any giant robot for two minutes. Great!
Artifacts...
Those were key.
Halliday made sure the OASIS was littered with enough randomly powerful stuff...
that anyone could win it if they had the skills.
Death matches and artifact hunts are good way to coin snatch...
but depending on your level of armor, they are risky.
You see, everyone starts the same but the more coin you make...
- The more you level up. - Mom! Mom!
If you get killed, your avatar can come back to live...
- but you lose all your stuff. - Go get your dad!
Everything you have ever worked for.
All your money...
Your clothes...
Your weapons...
Since people spend most of their time in the OASIS...
Losing your shit means...
losing your shit.
Hache, ten minutes to the race tracks.
OK mom, I heard you.
You see, the OASIS was the brain child of James Halliday.
He and his partner, Odgen Morrow...
released the first OASIS built in the 2025.
It was an instant success...
and it made them both very rich.
But Morrow was out of the picture after a few years.
Then Halliday, he wasn't just the owner of the world's biggest company.
He was like a god.
People loved him.
They worshiped him as much as his creation.
Maybe we should stop talking about it...
and start showing it.
If you all to reach under your seats
you will find that there is nothing there.
But we are gonna bring you on now.
And then on January 7th, 2040...
He died.
They what he left behind...
Changed everything.
Hello.
I'm James Halliday.
If you are watching this, I am dead.
Before I died, I created...
what we in the bis called an "Easter egg ".
A hidden object in a game...
that gives special powers to who ever discovers it.
The first person to find the egg...
I've hidden somewhere inside the OASIS...
will inherit my stock and Gregarious Games...
currently valued an excessive half a million dollars...
Half a trillion dollars worth.
And total control of the OASIS itself.
In the form of my avatar: Anorak, the all knowing...
I created 3 keys.
Three hidden challenges test the worthy traits...
revealing 3 hidden keys to 3 magic gates.
And those with the skill to survive these traits...
will reach the end where the prize awaits.
Off you go, keys.
The keys aren't just laying around under a rock somewhere.
I suppose you could say they are invisible.
Hidden in a dark room, it's at the center of a maze..
It's located somewhere up here.
Let the hunt for Halliday's Easter egg begin!
READY PLAYER ONE
The challenge is to find 3 keys.
But in 5 years no one has even gotten one key.
And the big score board is still empty.
Some long forgotten gunter cracked the
1st clue and found the 1st challenge.
Then this portal appeared.
But the challenge to win the first key was a race designed by Halliday...
it was so hard no one had ever finished it
The only ones still trying were the 'gunters'...
as in 'egg hunters'.
Like me and Sho and Daito and my best friend Hache.
Oh! And of course, the Sixers.
The Sixers worked for IOI, Innovative Online Industries.
They are the second largest company in the world...
with desires of becoming the first.
This why they are putting everything they got
into winning Halliday's contest.
Buckle up!
Set in!
We call them Sixers because that's the company rule...
no name, just numbers.
They have a support team made up of Halliday's scholars.
Like me, they spend all their time studying pop culture...
that Halliday was obsessed with.
Trying to find clues to solve the contest.
They were just following the orders of the head of the IOI...
this dick we named Nolan Sorrento.
How did you get here before me?
Well, I didn't make a piss stop at the hair saloon.
- What up, Z! - What's up, Hache?
- Saved you a spot. - Thanks bruh.
- I gotta go to the back. - Yeah, so you could scheme coins for cars?
- That's just sad man! - Fuel's low.
Oh but you still have enough to pay for that Mary Hairdo.
First to the key?
First to the egg!
Hache, are you seeing this?
Yeah I see it, that is Kaneda's bike from " Akira ".
It's a license scan over standard frame.
No, not the bike, forget the bike.
The girl! I think it's Art3mis!
"The" Art3mis? The Sixers fixer?
I've seen all her walkthorughs, her Twitch streams.
It's her, it's definitely her.
Go Go Gol! Get there! Come on!
FINISH LINE
You Got it, you got it!
Balls!
She's not gonna make it.
Bail!
Bail out!
Damn! I loved that bike.
Oh, Hache... He is my friend.
But he could fix it for you.
This is my workshop, touch nohing.
Where did you find an Iron Giant?
Find it? I am building it, plus commission.
Oh yeah, Hache is top rated on the mark port.
People all over the US pay him serious coin.
Oh hey, check this out.
Hold it. Z... Yo.
- The Galactica, of course. - They are my babies alright man.
- Sulaco from " Aliens ". - Dude! Why are you showing off my shit?
Valley Forge from " Silent Running ". Where is the transporter?
That thing is sick. Fold space like a boss.
- You can get from Incipio to Archaide... - Fingers!
You'll have to excuse him, he gets little nervous around pretty girls.
I can fix it in 10 minutes.
Yep.
He is pretty great.
I assume you are in shoulder blades or clanned up.
Oh Hache? Nah! I mean, he is really good...
But I don't clan.
Oh, because you're Parzival...
as in the knight who found the holy grail by himself.
What about you, Art3mis? Goddess of the hunt.
Fans must be killing to sign you up.
- Favorite shooter? - Excuse me?
James Halliday's favourite 1st person shooter.
- What? - Oh, the GoldenEye.
- Playing as...? - Oddjob. Is this a test?
Favorite game variant?
Game variant " Slappers Only ". No weapons.
I know what Slappers only means.
- Racer? - Turbo.
And his favourite food was hot pockets.
His favorite restaurant was Chuck E. Cheese's.
Song was " Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles.
Video is "Take on Me" by A-ha.
His favorite quote was from Superman.
"Some people can read 'War and Peace' come away thinking it the..."
a simple adventure story.
Others can read the ingredients on back of a chewing gum wrapper...
"and enlighten the secrets of the universe."
Lex Luthor.
Cool!
What would you do if you won?
The whole contest I mean.
I mean, I have got tons of plans in the real world.
I would move into a huge mansion.
Buy a bunch of cool shit. Not be poor.
Now I know why you stopped short.
I stopped because of Kong.
No one ever makes it past Kong, that's like a rule.
Well, then you know it can't be true...
Because Halliday hated making rules.
- I can not afford to zero out. - You're afraid of lose your shit.
No I'm not.
What happens when IOI offers you
guaranteed coins for the keys to the kingdom?
Nolan Sorrento takes over the world.
A real gunter would risk everything to save the OASIS from IOI.
- Who said that? - Me.
There you go, good as new.
Thanks for the fix-up, my man.
That's better.
I will see you from the finish line...
McFly.
- That went well. - Thanks to you, captain big mouth.
Wade?
Wade!
- Where the hell are my gloves? - Shit. I got to go.
X1. When I am off to going on Planet Doom, I need every edge I can get.
Every push, punch, gunshot. You feel it all.
Get ready to feel the feel of real. X1
The X1 is like bearing a second skin.
I zeroed out because of you broke ass gloves.
- Who told you to use them? - You took hers!
So you lost a death match,
why don't you just re spawn and level up like everyone else.
You don't get,
I bought all these powers for this challenge and I lost it all.
That artifact was gonna pay for the house.
Wait! How much of our house money did you spent of upgrades?
Well, all of it. But I was going to win.
That was our ticket out of here.
- You're an idiot. - I only lost because of the bad gloves.
- Our house! - My boys were in that challenge...
You couldn't have beat them in a boot suit.
Stop!
No!
- No! - Alice, call the police!
No, we're not calling the cops. Go to your room, Rick.
Good God, Alice!
Why do you put up with this guy?
He is a shit show.
I love to kick the both of you out.
If I catch you touching my stuff again...
Not joking, out!
Wade Watts.
My dad picked that name because it sounded like a superhero's altered ego.
Like Peter Parker or Bruce Banner.
But he died when I was a kid, my mom too.
And I ended up here.
Living with aunt Alice and her endless string of hard loving losers.
Halliday hated making rules.
Why is that line sticking in my head?
Maybe because Art3mis said it, and she's hot.
Maybe it's because she called me out.
Sitting in here my tiny corner of nowhere...
protecting my small slice of nothing.
Or maybe...
Maybe it's because that line means something.
And I missed it.
HALLIDAY JOURNALS
The day the contest was announced...
"The Halliday Journals" appeared.
He told us to look in his brain.
This was the next big thing.
At first, it was jammed with gunters looking for answers.
Now the once crowded halls of Halliday's memories...
are left to people like me.
Parzival, oh joy.
And how will you eat up my valuable such time today?
Gregarious Games, 2029 Office party.
Yes, you've only seen it a thousand times...
Why not go back?
Each entry into Halliday's Journals was meticulously assembled...
from personal photographs, home video recordings, surveillance and nanny cams.
All rendered into a three dimensional virtual experience.
Also Halliday archived every film, game, book and TV program he ever saw.
Located on the mesony...
No weapons or mature themed avatars are permitted within the journals.
Please enjoy your time with us and happy gunting.
OK, Jim, I'm... I'm going.
Everything changes, Jim. Everything evolves.
Some things are perfect just where they are. " Asteroids ".
People don't live inside an "Asteroids" arcade cabinet.
I know that.
Yup. People are living inside the arcade we build.
I built.
I guess you can say whatever you want.
I don't want to talk about this.
No, of course you don't want to talk about it.
You are forcing me out.
Closer on Halliday.
Inventions come with responsibilities. You didn't ask for them.
Alright? If you make something people want or need...
then it's up to you to set the limits, you have to make some rules.
- I won't make any more rules. - I don't wanna make any more rules.
- A dreamer. - I'm a dreamer.
- I build worlds. - I build worlds.
We created something beautiful, Jim. But it's changed.
- It's really not a game anymore. - Are we finished?
I liked how things were when they were.
When it was a game.
And we are back to where we started.
But that's the point, as in it things move forward.
Whether you like it or not.
Yeah, we're finished.
Oh. Fine.
Why can't we go backwards...
for once?
Backwards. Really fast, fast as we can.
Really put that pedal to the medal, you know?
Go back, 10 seconds!
Why can't we go backwards?
For once?
Backwards. Really fast, fast as we can.
Really put that pedal to the medal, you know?
Bill and Ted did it.
Back again so soon?
Careful not to loose you shit.
You figured something out.
Parzival, tell me!
Nice racing, padawan.
You are the first to finish.
Mr. Halliday, Anorak...
- It's such an honor. - The honor is all mine.
Get yourself a clue.
BOARD 1-PARZIVAL 100,000 POINTS
Who is this Parzival and how the hell is he winning?
Oh here is a better question, who cares?
Halliday's contest is vitally important...
I mean it's nothing less than a war...
for control of the future.
This Parzival is not even clanned up.
He is alone.
- We have an army. - And yet, he's got the 1st key.
Yeah, he has a key.
But you have to get 3 of them to win the contest.
Our stock dove 6% yesterday.
The loyalty division is reporting profits of 28%, FiNale?
We are opening 5 new loyalty centers this month.
That service is dwarves hardware...
And you really wanna talk to me about stock prices?
The shareholders won't be happy.
Not our job to make them happy...
it's our job to make them money.
But once we launch this little baby they're gonna flip.
We call this...
"Pure O2". This is the first of our planned...
upgrades once we can roll back some of Halliday's ad
restrictions. We estimate we can sell up to 80%...
of a individual's visual field before inducing seizures.
So picture this.
All of this implies we win the contest.
Indeed it does.
Dude, you won the key and a 100,000 coins?
As soon as I took the key all the coins just appeared in my account.
I'll tell you what, I'm soiling my haptics right now.
What the hell is a " Cataclist "?
A bomb. Kills every avatars on the planet...
even the owner.
- Who want that? - IOI. They buy everything.
20 thou for the Holy hand grenade?
That's a steal!
A Zemeckis cube!
- I need one of these. - Don't spend all your money.
X1 Haptic boot suit?
REAL WORLD PICKUP
Oh yeah!
Password: Bo55man69
I-ROk, old friend, how are you?
To be honest, I have a kind of a neck thing, it's like a carpal tunnel.
Deal able with your neck, that's even a thing, so if you could just
stand to your right. My right, your left.
Yeah. Since it's a repetitive stress.
Here he is.
The steam-punk pirate king.
I knew him well, Sorrento.
There is only 3 things in this world that I hate:
Steam-punk, pirates and Tabule.
I mean, why do they even have it?
Is there a reason we're meeting here?
Yes, Nolan.
The "Orb of Osuvox".
You wanted it, he had it.
So here it is.
It creates an impenetrable magical shield...
that can only be taken down..
By a magic spell.
- The "Orb of Osuvox". - Don't say that again.
Okay.
I am gonna need you to keep this for now.
I'm gonna let you know when I'm gonna use it. OK?
Right now...
I have another job for you.
Parzival.
Let me guess, you want him off the score board.
Can you do that?
Well, he is a superstar, he made it through the first gate.
Avatars are gonna be on him like hoes on Santa.
I-ROk, how much more do you want?
That's what I like about you, Nolan.
You never lick...
You bite straight to the chocolaty center of the Tutsi Pop.
Remember that old commercial with the owl?
I-R0k.
- Three times my normal fee. - Done.
Really? I should have asked for five. Four still on the table?
There is five of this on the big board now.
Art3mis was next, no surprise there.
She was on the track when I won, she saw me going backwards.
I gave Hache a tip...
made him promise not to say anything...
and then he won next.
I'm pretty sure he bragged to our pal Daito...
because he won night after.
And of course, Daito told his best friend Sho.
He totally toddled his car but then Sho got it to it.
"A creator who hates his own creation."
A hidden key, a leap not taken.
"Retrace your steps, escape your past..."
"A creator who hates his own creation."
A hidden key, a leap not taken.
"Retrace your steps, escape your past..."
"and the key of Jade will be yours at last."
Is James Halliday playing games... or playing GOD?
OASIS COIN THE NEXT DOLLAR? WILL OASIS CHANGE THE WAY WE LIVE?
BIGGER THAN JOBS?
SPLIT! HALLIDAY GOES IT ALONE
OBITUARIES KAREN UNDERWOOD MORROW 1975-2034
"Escape your past "...
What part of your past are you trying to escape, Halliday?
HALLIDAY, GAME DESIGNER, TRILLONAIRE.
HALLIDAY JOURNALS.
Hey, it's Parzival!
Parzival! My hero!
You are famous now!
You can't just go wherever you want!
No no no! I...
That is...
That's not funny.
Oh God!
Don't you get it?
You are " the " Parzival now.
You have to have a disguise.
Look at here...
Clark Kent lenses.
They hide your identity without changing your look.
I am not wearing that.
This is great.
Were your inventory burst out when you die?
I didn't want anymore blood.
This is right before the OASIS went live.
6 days prior. December 2nd, 2025.
Check this out.
You know who that is?
Is that Sorrento?!
Sorrento started as an intern.
He claims he learnt at the feet of the master.
That's how he convinced the IOI to create the Sixers for him.
His Halliday knowledge.
But ask Ogden Morrow...
He says the only thing Sorrento actually knew about Halliday...
was how he liked his coffee.
You could have like different tiers of
Gold member, it could be silver...
platinum, bronze...
depending on what they paid.
The highest one maybe being water, Cause OASIS right?
Hell of a latte.
Can you fast forward to the stuff about Halliday's date?
What? Halliday actually went on a date?
- So what happened? - Nothing. I invited her over.
Did you at least get her name?
Yeah, Kira. I told you.
Like the character in " The DARK Crystal ".
That's her gamer tag.
Karen. OK? Karen Underwood.
No. Oh! Karen Underwood?
As in Odgen Morrow's wife?
Just watch.
So this you and Karen Underwood...
What did you do?
She wanted to go dancing.
So we watched a movie.
And?
Where is the juice?
Give me some juice.!
- There is no juice! - Oh my GOD!
Hold the phone.
Halliday went on a date with Odgen Morrow's wife?
Just once.
Years before they were even married.
But yeah.
And despite that, and the fact that she died...
The name Kira is only mentioned once...
in all of Halliday's journals.
- That's not possible. - It is, look it up.
What we just saw is the only time she's ever mentioned.
It makes no sense...
She was important part of both their lives.
I'll bet you anything. All my coins.
Search "Karen Underwood Morrow".
1 RESULT
Kira I told you, like the character in "The DARK Crystal".
That's her gamer tag.
Halliday purposely removed every mention of her except for this one.
That's weird. Why?
It's like it was just so painful for him...
to have to see her face or hear her name.
Oh he loved her.
- He could not tell that to Morrow. - He should have told how he felt.
Yeah, well, he missed his chance.
Look.
I found the clue to the race in the other scene but...
I have always felt that the biggest clue of the contest...
was hidden here.
You are right.
I lose.
Don't worry, curator.
You see, Kira is rosebud of the center of his story.
She is the big mystery!
No, no. A bet is a bet.
Oh, wow! A quarter.
- You can keep it. - No, you can keep it.
Are you free on Thursday?
- Who me? - No him.
Oh my God, yes you!
- You know the Distracted Globe? - Yeah. The dance club.
Meet me there, 10 pm.
There is something I wanna show you.
Ba-Bye!
Did she just ask me out?
I was starting to like her.
Alright!
I don't do that.
Z, I can't believe you told her about Kira.
What? I told you.
What about this?
No.
Have you considered that Art3mis could be using you?
Hey dude, she's giving me a clue, maybe I'm the one using her.
Should I go more?
Thriller?
No.
- Punk? - No.
- Duran Duran? - No.
Does it look like I'm trying too hard.
Yes! Listen to yourself!
You have a massive cyber crush on this girl.
She is hacking your heart to get to your head.
I got it!
- Buckaroo Banzai? - Yeah!
Really?
You're gonna wear the outfit from your favourite movie.
- Don't be that guy. - I am that guy.
Z, you gotta be more careful about who you meet in the OASIS.
Hache, Art3mis gets me.
She will get my outfit, there is just this connection.
- I mean sometimes we even... - Finish each other's sentences?
- Yeah. - We have that!
Me and you!
Yeah. I know.
But that's because we are best friends, dude.
She could be a dude too! Dude.
- Come on! - I'm serious.
"She" could actually be a 300 pound dude...
who lives in his momma's basement in suburbs of Detroit.
And her name is Chuck.
Think about that.
- Is that Parzival? - How are you?
- Hey Parzival! - Can we get a photo?
- Thank you so much. - You are my hero.
Hello, Parzival.
Thank you.
Get out of town! Buckaroo Banzai?
I like it! I like Buckaroo Banzai!
- Oh thanks! - It's great.
- You look awesome! - Thank you.
Get out of here.
You've been here before? It's cool, right?
So what's the plan?
Are you gonna kill their avatars? Zero them out?
They are both here are at the Distracted Globe.
I can't talk.
The Distracted Globe was one of the first clubs...
Halliday created in the OASIS. That's common knowledge.
But I double checked, it turns out he started building it...
right after the moment you showed me.
- The date with Kira. - Right, she was a serious dancer.
Maybe he thought he'd take her here.
Like in a virtual date.
Isn't bad if it works.
So Halliday built it for her.
But they never made it past the first date.
- So Halliday is the creator... - Who hates his own creation.
And the club is the thing he hates.
And the hidden key a leap not taken.
But people jump often all night long.
But none of these people have the copper key.
So when we jump off...
Maybe it's different.
- Right? - Alright.
- So we take it together? - Sure.
We are not clanning up or anything.
Of course not.
I don't clan.
I don't think this is it.
No scoreboard, no obstacles.
Maybe a dance challenge?
Old School!
What?
- You've come prepared? - Prepared?
What kind of haptics you're rocking?
You got the gloves on full visor or the full body?
Can you feel this?
Um yeah.
I got the X1 haptic boot suit with microfiber crotch in that.
Right Perzival. You did come prepared.
So...
I have been thinking...
It would be cool we meet up in the real world.
- No, you would be disappointed. - I wouldn't, I like you.
You don't even know me.
This is not what I look like.
This isn't my real body, nor my real face.
I don't care.
I want to know your real name.
- My name is Wade. - What?
- I said my name... - Stop.
Well Buckaroo blows it. Shocking.
You crazy?
You don't tell anyone who you are. You can not use your real name.
- You're not just anyone. - You don't know me.
You don't know anything about me. We've never met.
I do know you, Arty.
I'm in love with you.
- Is this part of the challenge? - No!
It's an ambush!
IOI always in the way.
Did you hear what I said? I said that I'm in love with you.
No... You are not.
You know what I want you to know.
You only see what I want you to see.
That's what you're in love with!
Watch out!
Get back!
Z, your armor is running low!
I just bought this.
A Zemeckis cube.
Turns everything back in time till 60 seconds.
And you waited until now to use it?
You were amazing.
This isn't a game Z.
I am doing this to stop IOI.
I am talking about real world consequences. People suffering.
Actual life and death stuff.
- I know, I know. - No, you don't know!
My dad died in a Loyalty Center.
He borrowed gear, he build up debts.
He moved in with the promise of working it up but he never did.
IOI just raised his living expenses.
Then he got sick, and he could not afford to get out and then he died!
I am so sorry.
You don't live in the real world, Z.
From what you've told me, I don't think you ever have.
You live inside this. This illusion.
And I can't afford to let you distract me.
- How the hell did they get away? - Do you want the long version?
Your guys suck. They fail to kill as avatar.
Which we're offering constructive criticism
was a lame idea that only would have slowed him down.
Where is my plan was cool because I-rok, actually worked.
- He's still on the board! - I know that, Nolan!
But he won't be for long.
I did a search for all the WADE who'd recently bought a X1 boot suit.
Cross referenced that with public records and voila.
Which is french for... " And they I found out ".
Ready?
The real world identity of Perzival.
Is Wade Watts.
Voila .
Are you loyal, miss Zandor?
You really want me to answer that?
When you are at war, you need people who are loyal.
People you can count on to get things done.
I just get people arrested for not paying their bills.
Yeah, cause there are some problems that require physical solutions...
but there are other times, particularly at war...
when you need a different set of rules
- The rules of war. - Exactly.
It's too bad that my division doesn't operate inside the OASIS.
But if this war remains in the OASIS then you can't do anything.
Is this one of those conversations that we're not really having?
Well, we had these kind of conversations before, look where you are now...
You got a seal on the board, head of your own division.
Division that will cease to exist if the wrong person wins this contest, Finale.
A game decides our fate.
The only question is how far we're going to go to win it.
Tell me what you need, Nolan.
INCOMING MESSAGE FROM NOLAN SORRENTO
Perzival, I would like to make you an offer.
You will get everything you want. Including Haliday's egg.
To enter please touch the prism.
Where am I?
IOI plaza, you are a hologram in the real world.
That's a really cool rig.
Thank you, it's a brand new haptic shock OAR-9400.
Looks like a giant hamster ball.
You know, if you came to work at IOI
you would get one of these.
I don't clan up.
You would also get your own penthouse apartment in Columbus...
with the highest speed connection.
In the OASIS...
you get unlimited weapons, magic items, ships.
PASSWORD - Bossman69 - You want the ship from defender?
You know, kind of jump into hyperspace?
Do you want the Millennium Falcon ?
You have them?
Anything you need to help you find that egg.
And there is the salary.
4 million a year.
And if you do have to find that ester egg...
There is a bonus $ 25 million.
I can see, you're using an emotion suppression software right now.
And why wouldn't you? It's smart. That's why you're here.
It is a lot of money...
I could really use it.
But...
I don't think you and I have the same plans.
I don't know about that, what for the OASIS?
I guess if you're not a John Hugh's fan.
Of course I am.
Because the first thing that I would do...
is convert all the schools on Ludus...
to replicas from "Breakfast Club "...
and " Ferris Bueller ".
No way? That's a great idea.
Which school?
Richmond or Faber?
" Fast Times at Richmond High " not John Hughes.
It's a trap.
Faber college from " Animal House ".
John Hughes didn't direct Fast Times at Richmond High or Animal House.
Ferris Bueller and The Breakfast Club...
they went to Sherman High School...
which is in Shermer, Illinois.
I know what you think.
You think I am a corporate asshole. That I don't appreciate pop culture.
Man, that's not true. When I wanna blow off steam...
I drink " Tab ", play " Robotron", I listen to Duran Duran.
I crack open a " Tab ", I put on some Duran Duran and I play " Robotron ".
That's why I love the OASIS.
Cause it's full of all these things man, the people love you know...
I'm a businessman, I get it.
But I gotta do my job.
But I didn't ask you here man, just to help us find the egg Perzival.
I asked you here for what comes after.
What would Halliday say?
James Halliday is dead.
Yeah, he is.
All that's left of him is this contest.
You know what?
Just seems like he wouldn't want you winning it.
A fan boy knows a hater...
and I know you've got a whole department of ovologist in your ear.
So do you wanna know what I really think?
I think you're full of shit.
Here is my offer.
Your board of directors, you got them in the other end?
Why don't you tell them this, if they dump you, I'll consider it.
Let's say something off the record.
I had to make the offer, board expected it...
but I was really hoping you'd say no.
Because if anyone's gonna win this competition, it's me.
My avatar gets the egg...
because I'm the only one here in this with the balls to run this place.
Oh, there was a change.
I'm fairly reasonable to maniacal overload.
You should be grateful, Wade.
You won't be around doing tour of my maniacal reign.
Yeah, that's right. I know who you are.
Wade Owen Watts.
Born August 12, 2027.
I also know where you are.
Unit 56-K, Columbus stacks.
You're last seen entering your trailer 3 days ago
you haven't left since...
- What are you doing? - With all that's going on in the world...
Do you really think that anyone's gonna give a damn about an explosion
In some ghetto trash rat barn in Columbus?
Sorrento, don't do this! I'm not even there!
Not for long.
Call Alice.
Dial Alice.
Pick up, pick up Alice!
It's a good suit, pretty awesome, thanks for that.
- Rick, the place is going to blow! - Rick, is that Wade?
- Put Alice on! - Let me talk to him.
Don't call here anymore. You got me.
I don't wanna hear your voice ever again.
Contact Hache, Daito, Sho and Art3mis.
IOI came for me in the real world.
They gotta be coming after you so wherever you are...
Sorry about the blindfold.
My guys are a little paranoid.
Say that again.
My guys are a little paranoid.
Art3mis?
My real name is Samantha, but yeah.
I'm Art3mis.
The showers are that way, clean clothes too.
Welcome to the rebellion...
Wade.
That's IOI.
So the stacks are over there?
We've been living this close to each other all the time?
Next door...
around the worlds, it is all the same in the OASIS.
For the record...
I'm not disappointed.
You know you said I would be disappointed when I met you but...
I'm not.
I have lived with it my whole life, you don't have to pretend.
You have a birth mark.
So what?
Why would that scare me?
Z, if I hurt you... I'm sorry.
No it's...
Wait, did you just call me "Z"?
- Oh my God! Did I? - I think you did.
- Wade, I'm sorry. - Yeah Wade, Z...
You can call me what ever you want.
- I'll call you Sam. - No.
Samantha?
Okay.
Cool.
It's so much slower here.
I mean...
The wind, the people.
Everything.
You forget what it's like to be outside.
Yeah.
Oh shit!
- I just figured it out! - Figure what out?
The second clue! I know what it means.
We have been thinking about it too literally.
" The leap not taken ", the leap Halliday didn't take..
It's with Kira.
Yeah, but, I mean he blamed her for breaking up with Morrow.
No, Halliday was madly in love with her.
He had a chance with Kira. He had his chance to kiss her...
- He didn't take the leap. - Right.
So that's where we're going next.
To the place where the leap wasn't taken.
Where the date was.
At the movies!
Hey Curator!
We figured out the second clue, the challenge is here.
Halliday kept track of every movie he had ever watched...
the week and the year he watched it...
and how many times.
Curator, can we see November 23 to 27, 2025.
That's the week he went on a date with Kira.
OK, so our options for that week are " The Fliry Make "...
Great flick, terrible date movie.
" Say Anything ", that would make sense.
We gotta remember the clue.
" A creator who hates his own creation ".
"The shining".
It's Halliday's 11th favourite horror film.
And it's based on the best selling book by Stephen King...
Who hated the movie!
Hey! No psychic chat!
I think we found it.
Are you absolutely sure you want to go here?
Absolutely positive.
I just hope that you have the belly for it.
THE OVERLOOK
STANLEY KUBRICK's THE SHINING
Look.
Ticking clock.
OK, so, I'm estimating about...
5 minutes to find the key.
There are many keys in The Shining though...
Where do we start?
I've never seen The Shining, is it really scary?
Oh, I had to watch it through my fingers.
OK, so we got the key from room 237...
Then this is the snow cat...
the keys they give to Jack at the beginning of the movie
But what's leap not taken?
A key isn't a key at all?
I know it's.
Hello Danny.
Come play with us.
Do you know how to get out of here?
Wait, wait!
Where is Hache?
Wait!
Hache!
No no no!
Hi, naked lady.
I'm sorry, I don't mean to interrupt your bath time.
I know self care to be important.
Could you do me a favor and tell me where are the exits?
OK, am I being punked?
Because you are liking me a way too much.
You know what? Im'ma go with it.
Time is running out!
Yo Z, is Art3mis pissed at me?
Dude, I am pissed at you! You have never seen The Shining Hache.
You know I hate scary movies!
- We got the key. - Swift, to room 237!
We ain't got no business going to room 237.
We should stay out!
Cause there was this crazy naked zombi lady in there...
There are no zombies in The Shining!
Well maybe it's not supposed to be like the movie.
Kira is the key, you are the one who said it.
Hey y'all. I saw a picture of Kira.
Where?
It's Kira.
"Escape your past."
"The leap not taken".
Halliday's greatest fear wasn't The Shining...
nor any book or movie.
His biggest fear was kissing a girl.
That's the leap he couldn't take.
The ball room.
Hache! Come on.
Zombies! Told you.
That's her.
It's Kira.
None of this is from the Shining.
Look, that's the zombies circle level in Mayhem Mansion...
one of Halliday's first games.
The whole Shining tribute it's just a diversion.
One minute left
- How do we get to her? - Take the leap.
Wait!
OK, Mr Dead guy, cool if I lead?
Care to dance?
Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to ask?
Well, well, well...
So you found my Jade key.
Imagine that.
Thank you.
- Kira was a very beautiful... - Go on.
One of our experts saw them...
enter the media library.
She cracked the clue...
Now we just have to win the Shining challenge.
Take it off! Take it off!
Mr. Sorrento...
I really think you need to see this.
Now Parzival has got the jade key.
POSITIVE ID WADE WATTS
He's alive.
I know. I will get back to you.
I got what you were looking for.
Freeze. This guy.
The tattoo.
Enlarge.
Run in though our database, every IOI drone in Columbus.
Find him.
POSITIVE ID.
- Groceries are here. - Alright.
"If you know the answer ultimate, divide it by the number magic..."
and what you need, want and desire...
"will be found in the fortress tragic."
Tragic, that's gotta be Halliday referring to himself.
- Why? - Because he was lonely.
He had no one to spend his life with towards the end.
Yeah, it's true.
The contest is, gotta be somehow about connecting with someone,
Anyone, he was the person who cared for the OASIS to be connected with the world.
That's what I think he's trying to tell us.
Wade.
You understand Halliday.
You know him better than anyone.
That's exactly why I think you'll win.
Really? You really think I'm gonna win?
Identify!
Freeze! Don't move!
This leads right to the alley.
- You first. - I'm right behind you. Go now!
Come on!
Wade, the OASIS needs you.
- I'm going to delay them. - Wait, no, no! Wait!
You will forgive me for this, I promise.
Don't move!
Samantha Evelyn Cook.
IOI has purchased and consolidated all of your outstanding debt...
currently in excess of 23,000 credits.
You will be remanded to the nearest IOI Loyalty Center
until your debt is paid in full.
Including any interest, processing, or late fees you incur hence worth.
- First to the key? - First the egg. What?
Never trust someone you meet in the OASIS.
She might be a 300 pound dude named Chuck.
Living in his momma's basement in suburb of Detroit.
Hache?!
Helen! My dad called me Hache, kind of still. Let's go!
That thing is IDing my van.
Come on! They spotted us.
Daito?
My real name is Toshiro.
Samantha got us a message.
She told us to meet you here.
- Samantha, they took her to the... - To a Loyalty Center, I know.
Look, another awesome news, the Sixers found the third challenge.
- What? - Just Come on! Get in!
Let's go, hurry up! Go. Go. Go!
How did IOI found the 3rd challenge so fast?
IOI cracked the first 3 lines of the clue...
So they knew it was Sector 14...
but they couldn't figure out the fortress tragic.
So they sent every guy they had into that sector...
until they found the right fortress.
Sho?
Yeah, yeah, yeah! I'm 11, so what?
His real name is Xo.
But everyone else calls me Sho. No big deal.
No, it is a big deal.
Sho, you're the world's most bad-ass 11 year old ever.
- He knows. - Shut up. Let him tell me.
Hache.
We have to go save Samantha.
We can't just go through the doors of IOI.
Look, I was thinking about it. I got a better plan.
- You saw Sorrento's rig, right? - Yeah.
Let's go after the man himself and make him give Artemis back to us.
As far as I could know exactly
how much about Serrento's rig do you remember?
Kind of everything.
Security: Please report to Section 97 for escort.
Hey, noobie! Get to work.
Get to work!
Work violation
Lay those charges every 6 feet.
Keep it moving.
Hey you!
Those are explosives!
IOI will not reimburse any lost coin if you zero up.
Keep it moving!
So what is this challenge? Some sort of video game?
An Atari 2600, sir.
Every game ever made for. Thousands of possibilities.
Come on!
Halliday. This is how you plan to resolve the fate of the world
to most important economic resource?
- Call me when you are close. - Yes sir.
No no no!
One minute into Centipede The ice broke.
It hast to be Joust.
Halliday still holds the world record of this 2600...
Pitfall! One of the only 2600 games that's still has ending.
They were created for a contest Atari...
I-ROk, how you doing?
To be honest I think I need physical therapy because it is not...
- Is the Orb ready? - As you wish.
The Orb of Osuvox.
How does it work? Do you got like a remote or a button or something?
Nolan, it's a level 99 magic artifact...
Not one of your drones. So it is activated by a magic spell.
You care to do the honors?
Anáil nathrach, ortha bháis is beatha, do chéal déanaimh
- Where is she? - How did you get in here?
- Art3mis! - Who?
Samantha Cook! Where is she?
If you want to talk, we can talk, but you gotta put that gun down.
You killed my mom's sister.
You think I won't kill you?
Whoa, whoa, whoa, just slow down OK.
That was a corporate decision, nothing personal.
Where is she?!
She's downstairs in the loyalty center.
I know she's in the goddamn loyalty center.
You are gonna tell me exactly which rig she's in
and the access code to contact her.
Yes, it seems appropriate.
Start with access code.
645-725.
Where is the rig?
I think he pissed himself.
Good job, Z. We are in as.
So he really doesn't know he's still in OASIS?
This is what Sorrento should be seeing.
But this...
This is what we're making him see.
We grabbed him in transit just as he was logging out of the OASIS.
So, he thinks he's back in the office in the real world but...
actually he's here, in the identical office that Hache built.
So, you basically just remotely hacked his rig
The fixed rig of Sorrento's is easy to locate hard to hack.
Unless he's stupid enough to leave his password
- Loyalty center, I'm in. - Alright, let's get to work.
- Arty? - Z, Z, Z!
Arty, don't say anything. I am tapped directly into your audio feed.
How did you find me?
We got his password. Hacked Sorrento's rig.
Z, I have something to tell you.
Not now. I've something to show you. Then I'll get you out of there.
The Sixers found the third challenge...
It's on planet Doom.
And there's more, they just put a force field around Anorok's counsel.
I heard one of the guards calling it the "Orb of Osuvox".
And the only way to take it down is from the inside.
She is right. Level 99 artifact.
Creates a magic resistant impenetrable barrier.
No way through it.
OK listen. That's not important right now...
what's important that we get you out of the rig.
Alright, so, I'm looking at a diagram of your rig.
If you reach up with your left hand at 11 o'clock, there's some,
there's a panel above your head.
Yeah, I can feel it.
OK, there should be 2 release handles,
9 o'clock and 3 o'clock. Can you feel them?
- Yeah, I got it. - Pull them towards you.
OK. Inside the panel, there is a lever. Grab it with your right hand...
and slide it to the left, that should release you.
It worked! Worked! I'm out.
LNT POD 41-F, you are on an authorized break for 10 minutes.
41-F, you are on 10 minute break. Proceed to break area.
- Wade, you still there? - Yeah. Yeah. I'm here. Where are you?
Where is Sorrento office?
It's in the IOI war room, 2 levels above where
you are now. But that's not the way out.
What is his password?
- Wade, answer me. - OK. It's B055man69.
But Arty, you need to go.
You need to raise the army.
An army?
Get to planet Doom and wait for my signal.
What signal?
I'm going to tear down that shield.
Wait, Arty, wait. You got to get out of there! Arty.
How much are they paying you?
Cause man, I got a lot of paper. You know I can make you like a forest.
Hey. Shut up.
Okay.
This isn't real, you're tapping my feed.
Guys?
PASSWORD BO55MAN69
F'Nale, they hacked my rig. They are after the girl.
Meet me at Loyalty.
41-F, you have exceeded your break-time.
Report to security or your coin count will be reset to zero.
So...
She just walks out of here. How does that happen?
They are smart, they knew what they were doing.
But we know they are in Columbus and now...
Wait, you know what? How do we know?
We have the model of the van...
- We spot them. - "We spot them"?
That sounds like a great encryption for our tombstones.
Why didn't you tell me this all here?
It wasn't relevant yet.
I need to know where they are.
We need to know! We need to find them.
They are kids, Nolan! Man the hell up!
Do your job and I'll do mine...
unless you want to take this and go after them yourself.
Find them!
The complete Nancy Drew.
Kegggle exercises remnant.
Bingo.
"Congratulations, you are the proud owner of the Orb of Osuvox...
99's level magic artifact. Read these instructions before deploying..."
"To turn on off". Off, yes, off, yes.
Utter spell within 10 feet of orb:
Anáil nathrach, ortha bháis is beatha, do chéal déanaimh.
Citizens of the OASIS:
I'm Parzival, first to the key.
I am here talking to all of you now because our future is threatened.
For people who will not stop at nothing to win this contest.
Some of you already know this.
You have lost much more than just your avatars or your weapons.
Some have lost their freedom.
Some have lost their lives.
And now, this.
A force field around the third challenge.
I only came here to escape the shitty hand that life dealt with.
But I stayed, like many of you...
because I found something much bigger than just myself.
I found a cause.
I found my friends
And yes, I know it is kind of a groaner, but...
I found love.
And I don't wanna lose it to this colossal douchebag named Nolan Sorrento.
This guy! Back to work people!
He thinks that we're all too distracted to even notice...
Nolan Sorrento thinks that we won't put up a fight.
Sir! Sir! This is going out! It's absolutely everywhere.
And now we're supposed to hand him the OASIS?
This Parzival...
- Come on, come on! - Yes sir.
- Left arm. - Left arm.
He thinks that we won't even put up a fight.
Well... I say he is wrong.
I say, tell that to the gunter clans in the gold mines of Gygax.
Activate: The iron Giant.
Ask yourselves...
Are you willing to zero out for the OASIS?
Are you willing to fight?
I am Parzival of the HIGH five.
In the name of Art3mis and in the name of Hache.
In the name of Daito and Sho.
We ask you to join us on planet Doom.
In the name of James Halliday himself...
Help us save the OASIS.
No no no!
No man is a failure who has friends.
Quadrant 4 team, armor up. You are in the lead.
One minute in the Sword Quest, the ice broke.
Well all three Sword Quests, what's next?
- Dark Cavern. Laser Blast. - Super Breakout.
It's Adventure.
Released in 1979 for the 2600 adventure, was created by Warren Robinett...
He was the first video game designer ever to hide his name...
- In fact it was... - Try Adventure.
Play Adventure.
More than a minute and we're still alive.
This must be the right game.
Anáil nathrach, ortha bháis is beatha, do chéal déanaimh.
How long does this last, this orb?
Anáil nathrach, ortha bháis is beatha, do chéal déanaimh.
I would say about 10 million years so... We should be fine.
Anáil nathrach, ortha bháis is beatha, do chéal déanaimh.
First to the key?!
- First the egg! - First the egg!
Adventure.
What? Oh come on!
The Sixers are at the final challenge in Atari 2600.
Are you in the sixer war room?
- No, you gotta get out of there. - They're playing Adventure.
Adventure, of course.
Created by Warren Robinett...
he was the first to ever hide an 'Easter egg' in...
Look!
We are looking for a USPS truck.
Ohio plates, 2036 model.
NO MATCH
Daito, when will you get into this fight?
- I'm out! Inventory's empty. - Last quid for me.
More weapons!
- Anti-personnel ordnance canon! - Anti-personnel ordnance canon.
- Rail gun! - Rail gun.
Yo, Z!
Try this little guy.
Get rid of it! Get rid of it!
It's fucking Chucky!
Move! Move! Go go go!
Mechagodzilla!
Daito, we need you!
Daito, now!
Go to the bridge, go now! He's distracted. Go go go!
I choose the Gundam form.
Z!
Arty!
Get to the castle! Win the 3rd key before they do.
What is that?
You only got 30 seconds before it's engine back.
Daito, abort! Abort! You got 10 seconds!
First the egg!
Shit! It's her!
Arty!
Z, we got to get to the castle.
She never left! She is still here.
The girl is in the war room.
Sho, hang on!
RELOADING
No!
Arty, we have got this. You need to log out!
If the game is Adventure , why haven't they won yet?
I don't know. Arty, I'm serious.
Sorrento is crazy. He will kill you.
What are you looking at?
There is nothing over there.
You are in trouble aren't you?
Samantha...
- You know I love you. - Not the time, Z.
I can handle the challenge...
but I can't let you get hurt in the real world.
Get out of IOI and meet us at River South.
Wade, no.
You will forgive me for this, I promise.
Wait, no, no no!
END OF THE GAME
Get up, Sixer. Back to the beginning.
Let's go, move! You are in.
Holy hand grenade! How much did that cost?
Less than it's gonna cost them.
What is that?
Sir, the gunters are approaching the challenge.
- I-R0k? - In position, sir.
Prepare my rig.
The ice is holding.
Still going.
Wait.
He's trying to win.
Yeah!
I won!
He lost.
Not Adventure .
Everyone who wins...
loses.
It's not about winning...
it's about playing.
Remember Halliday's announcement.
The keys are invisible...
And they are hidden in a dark room, it's at the center of a maze.
Well, there is a secret in Adventure you don't find it by winning.
You find it by wandering around in a dark room.
Until you get to the invisible dot.
Pretty easy if you know what you're doing.
Really?
Let me finish it for you.
Your last chance, Wade. Last chance.
Give me the key.
I give you 50 million in your account right now.
Why the hell would I ever do that?
Dude that's the Cataclist!
Now, personally I wouldn't care.
I just assume you'd never set foot in the OASIS again...
no longer have to deal with any of this absurdity...
but I know how important Halliday's competition is to you.
I will never let the future of the OASIS...
rest in your hands, Nolan Sorrento.
Well that's fine. Three easy steps.
One.
Wait, I thought that you were bluffing.
Do you know that kills all of us.
I have got 10 years worth of this shit inside of me.
- Last chance. Two. - I will not go out like that.
Like that's a camper move. You don't even know how to activate an orb.
Yeah, I felt those.
But this is my world, Sorrento.
Hadoken!
- No no no! - Step three.
No no no!
Get me out of this thing.
Guys?
Z! He's still alive!
EXTRA LIFE
Extra life?
Thanks, Curator.
Hold on!
BOARD 1-PARZIVAL.
INCOMING LIVE STREAM PARZIVAL PLAYS FOR CRYSTAL KEY
Why feed in all OASIS channels?
Halliday wanted everyone to watch the end of the contest.
That's so Halliday!
- We tried Adventure. - No, we try to win it.
But the hidden room is not at the end of the game.
You gotta go straight to the invisible dot at the start.
ENLIST TODAY
Is that her?
Red hair, IOI uniform, doesn't know a planet she's on.
That's her.
I'm Toshiro. You know me as Daito.
Hey, Arty.
Yeah I know.
Not what you were expecting huh.
Yeah, I wasn't expecting a...
Late 30s model postal van.
Wade?
If the Cataclist went off, how come you still playing?
Extra life, long history. Sorry I shot you.
- Sho? - What?
Do I have to wear a sign saying
"I'm 11 years old, shoot me first"?
No thanks.
- Give me a hug! - The ninjas don't hug!
Alright everybody. Hold on to something!
Got you.
Come on, Nolan. Pick up.
F'Nale, tell me something good.
I have got a drone on their tail. I'm close.
- Send me coordinates. - Maybe you should leave this to me, Nolan.
Nolan?
Nolan!
Out!
Give me that.
What's going on out there?
The game is over for them, what are they watching?
The final key. It's being broadcast.
You see, Warren Robinett was proud of Adventure.
He wanted people to know who was behind it.
That is why he created the first digital " Easter egg ".
And to find it you did not even have to win.
You just had to play searching around...
in rooms for an invisible dot.
You took the dot back to the main screen and...
that's when you found the 1st Easter egg ever put in a video game.
The creator's name.
CREATED BY WARREN ROBINETT
What's going on? Man, I can't see shit.
Parzival just got the Crystal key!
Do you want it or not?
Hache, what the hell is going on?
Just practicing my Mario Cart. What do you think?
IOI trying to kill us man!
Everyone watching: if you're in the Columbus Sacks...
This is Perzival. My real world name is Wade Watts...
and we are gonna need your help.
- Hache, head for the stacks. - Okay, hold on!
Stick the key in! How hard is it?
Come on.
That's it?
Yeah that's it, now you just sign these papers and the OASIS is yours.
You will be it's sole proprietor. That isn't too bad, is it?
I am gonna need a second.
This is wrong.
This pen, this contract.
This is the moment that Halliday made Morrow sign over his shares in Gragarous.
That was the biggest mistake of his life.
He knew that.
This can't be the end.
It's a test.
I won't make the same mistake that you did.
I just needed to be sure.
This is where you grew up.
Oh that's just me a long time ago.
I like to have him around from time to time.
Hey, I have to show you something, this...
This is the button.
If you push it, the whole simulation shuts down...
and a tapeworm program will erase all of the back up servers.
So you now have the power to turn the OASIS off forever.
You understand?
Try not to accidentally erase the whole of the OASIS on your first day.
The stacks are straight ahead.
Oh, I expect you have to go, I know I do.
So now is the time for you to receive your prize because you won all 3 keys.
Once you take this egg, the game will be over.
The egg...
The egg?
We know what you did here.
You turn around and walk out of here while you still can.
I created the OASIS because I never felt at home in the real world.
I just didn't know how to connect with people there.
I was afraid for all my life.
Right up until the day I knew my life was ending.
And that...
That was when I realized that...
as terrifying and painful as reality can be...
it's also...
the only place...
where you get a descent meal.
Because...
Reality...
is real.
You understand what I'm saying?
Yes. Yes I do.
He did it.
He got the egg.
Hurrah!
No! Please!
Hold it!
Drop the gun! Now! On the ground!
Turn around. Hands in your head!
Walk back towards me!
GAME OVER
Mr. Halliday...
Something I don't understand...
You're not an avatar, are you?
No.
Is Halliday really dead?
Yes.
Then what are you?
Goodbye, Parzival.
Thanks.
Thanks for playing my game.
Wade?
Ogden Morrow?!
You can call me Og.
Now, there are some people out here that would very much like to meet you.
Wow! This is incredible.
It's an honor to meet you., Og.
There's something I need to do first.
I'm not like Halliday.
I am taking the leap.
We're looking for Wade Watts.
We need you to make a statement
about the clip you sent in of Nolan Sorrento's confession.
That was me.
What? I record everything in my workshop.
Help me with this.
Who are you guys?
The people you need right now.
Lawyers from Gregarious Games.
They want your signature, Wade.
I am splitting it with my clan.
We are gonna run things together.
That's a good choice.
F'Nale, listen to me very carefully...
Mr. Morrow, I mean, Og.
How did you get here so fast?
I flew from the stars on my magic sleigh.
Everyone's been watching.
Of course I've been watching it a little closer than most.
You?
You're the Curator?
Well played, Parzival.
Jim told me nothing about the contest...
so there was no rule about me losing a bet to a smart kid.
Not that you needed my help.
You figured out that Kira was the key on your own.
Yeah, but...
Kira wasn't the key.
It was you, Mr. Morrow.
You were the rose bud.
And Halliday's biggest regret was...
losing his only friend.
You know Jim used to say the OASIS was never supposed to be a one player game.
Now... Who do we have here?
Look who it is. It's my heroes, 'The High FIVE'.
- You must be Art3mis? - Samantha.
'The HIGH FIVE' took over the OASIS...
and the first thing we did was...
sign Ogden Morrow to a non-exclusive consultancy.
The salary per his demand...
was 25 cents. One quarter.
With his guidance, our second move was to...
ban any Loyalty Centers from accessing the OASIS.
IOI had no choice.
They shut 'em all down.
The third thing we did wasn't as popular.
We close the OASIS on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
I know it sounds like a weird move, but...
People need to spend more time in the real world.
Because like Halliday said:
Reality is the only thing...
that's real.
PREVIO by Parzival23. Subtitled by CLARITY.