Eden Online

In the twenty-first century, the world experienced explosive technological advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence, government-granted major loans to common households, and the possession of new-gen androids gradually erased human labor from every different field in the workforce. People in first-world countries from the middle class up were the first to enjoy the freedom of time and improved quality of life granted by the household androids working in their stead. With a steady flow of income provided by their working androids and the leisure of time on their hands, people started turning to entertainment for their indulgence. Around that time, Future Electronics shocked the world in 2056 with its first full-dive virtual reality headset, Eden VR. And with it came the VRMMORPG, Eden Online. Jointly invested by 100 countries, which granted half the world access to a virtual second life, everyone believed it would be the greatest source of entertainment for the following decades to come. However, contrary to everyone’s expectations, Eden Online’s high-difficulty settings tormented players instead. Set in a post-apocalyptic future ravaged by disasters where humanity has been forced to retreat inside fortified cities with high-rise walls, players can only challenge the savage beasts, mutants, and infected beyond with their wits, gears, and skills. The benefit of becoming stronger through a leveling system is not a feature of the first-generation VRMMORPG that defined the twenty-first century for games. Despite players’ dissatisfactions and complaints, Eden Online remained staunch in its theme with the government’s backing and encouragement. For whatever purposes and intent Future Electronics and the government may have, Desmond Gray, is one of the rare players willing to challenge the world of Eden Online. However, what drives Desmond to play such an unenjoyable and self-torturous game? Could there be more to the game than what it seems? This is his story.