Ready Player One story
The film takes place in 2045, when much of humanity uses the virtual reality software OASIS to escape the desolation of the real world. Orphaned teenager Wade Watts discovers clues to a hidden game within the program that promises the winner full ownership of the OASIS, and joins several allies to try to complete the game before a large company run by businessman Nolan Sorrento can do so.
12 total · 2 choice · 9 major · 1 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| cooperation | choice | People had to work together to succeed in solving James Halliday's puzzle. OASIS creator James Halliday regretted buying out his companion. |
| video gaming | choice | Virtual Reality video gaming was the foundation of the story, and the basis for society in 2045. |
| atrophied civilization | major | Civilization stagnated because people preferred to spend time in the game, thus at the end two game-free days per week were mandated. |
| escape from reality | major | People escaped their crappy reality by going to the OASIS virtual reality world. |
| friendship | major | Wade and his best buddy H. |
| human nature | major | In the end, the viewer is shown that the point of playing video games was not necessarily to win, but rather to explore and have fun, by finding Easter eggs, for example. |
| overpopulated dystopia | major | It is a little unclear what the abysmal conditions in the future were due to but since we saw enormous slums this seems like a good guess. |
| public health issue | major | Gaming wasn't bad but it could clearly be taken to excess, hence two game-free days per week were declared at the end. |
| romantic love | major | Wade and Samantha. |
| unethical business practices | major | Innovative Online CEO Nolan Sorrento plotted to insert intrusive online advertising In the company's games. This would be an abomination to gamers, but be very profitable for the company. |