Release Day

"Primordial Fracture Online? Never heard of it."

Cole chewed the title over, thinking hard about the game and if he could recall anything specific about it.

And came up with a blank.

"Why would you have heard about this particular title? You've been on ice for the last two years. The game was released a year ago."

"Oh okay, that makes sense I guess."

"Right. Seriously, I'm going to have an aneurism if I constantly have to answer stupid questions you know."

Now irritated, Doctor Katherine went and sat behind her desk.

Resigning himself to the fact that it would never matter what he said, there was nothing that was going to please this woman, regardless of the topic.

I'll just shut my trap and only speak when necessary, he thought.

"System, play the press release of Primordial Fracture Online."

"Command acknowledged. Recording of the press release pertaining to Primordial Fracture Online by the Obsidian Corporation will now be played."

Responding to the instruction, a holo-screen appeared and began playing.

The recording setting was filmed within an indoor arena, filled to capacity with people and barely any room to swing a cat.

After a pan of the crowd, the camera zoomed in on two people seated on the stage, with the cover art of what was obviously the game displayed behind them.

"-Unless you've been living in the wilderness for the past fifty years, this person needs no introduction whatsoever but here it is anyway, the founder and president of the Obsidian Corporation, Evan Gregovich!"

A female announcer addressed the packed gallery before her.

The man, Evan Gregovich, raised a hand in response and waved to the crowd, which caused shrieks and cheers to erupt.

Going absolutely bananas, the announcer waved her hands up and down trying to calm them so that she could continue.

"Right! So, Mister Gregovich, Primordial Fracture Online... The hype in the lead-up to its release has been absolutely electrifying! Whispers of an outrageous feature that no other title to date has, are abounding all over social media. In response, the Obsidian Corporation has been teasing that this is the most real and most difficult to conquer game that any player will ever load into. Tell us what, exactly, makes this game so special?"

"Ah yes, thank you, Kera. Keeping this a secret until the release has been quite difficult. The challenges we've faced in identifying potential leaks and restricting the flow of specific information to the public have been major hurdles. Everyone, whether they like it or not, would prefer a surprise than to be spoiled before they can enjoy the game themselves. So, I can say that I'm happy to now be in a position where our supportive, excited community can now be informed of what exactly, makes this game so special."

Typical corporate jockey, talking exactly as a politician would. Gets asked a specific question and basically ducks and weaves his way through without actually answering it. Thought Cole as he watched the unfolding feature.

Standard behavior really.

The guy was playing it up to the adoring crowd for sure, there was no doubt about it.

Something about loving the attention to feed their egos, or something like that, came to mind.

"Don't keep us in suspense any longer or you might start a riot! Isn't that right fans?"

More cheers from the stands erupted.

They were both playing it up for the crowd and trying to whip them into a frenzy.

It was to be expected though. Keeping hardcore gamers waiting for something they've been waiting a significant period for was a bad idea.

Surviving on energy drinks, cheap food, and charging ahead for days on end with little to no sleep, these sleep-deprived monsters were hungry for their next fix.

Hell, they'd even forgo showers and personal hygiene in the more serious cases.

Almost like a crack addict chasing their next score.

Fiends, all of them.

Cole understood their emotions well. He had been there previously once before, years ago. The freshness of those emotions faded over time, but the memories were brightly there.

Nostalgia crept up, brief though it was before disappearing, but still there.

"Alright, alright, alright... I guess you have all waited for a horrendously long time already, right? Well, the Obsidian Corporation has always strived for excellence, pushing the boundaries of virtual reality for that perfect realism. We all want a game that's as close to real-life as possible, with all the extra stuff thrown in which is found lacking in the real world but adds that little bit of extra spice, am I right?"

More cheers erupted from the crowd. This guy knew what hardcore gamers sought.

"So far, the full-dive games, which have been released not solely by my company but others all over the world, have been lacking towards that final, hard to crack a piece of the ideal realism. Well, I can tell you now, the journey has been long. It has been hard. Blood sweat and tears have been shed overreaching the dramatic conclusion we've been seeking. So prepare yourselves, because I'm about to let you in on our best-kept secret!"

More cheers again.

Seriously, this guy was droning on and on, building up the momentum before the final push that would disclose what the whole point of this charade was.

"Come on guy, get to the point already, will you?"

Cole got it.

The point of these releases was to sell the product.

The manufacturing that went on through projects such as these were incredibly extensive.

There were literally thousands of people that required payment for their services. From the programming teams, artists, sound engineers, production teams, outsourcing relevant material, and the marketing team, just to name a few.

So, to pay for all these various functioning organs that made up the body and working overtime to create an incredible piece of art, copies had to sell.

There was a bottom dollar that underlay the entire structure of the development.

"But I haven't been under a full-dive in prison that broke me, for the past two years, just to listen to you loving the sound of your own voice."

He wanted to hit the fast-forward button... But thought better against it.

The vindictive Doctor Katherine Vella had already been close to stomping him with the heel of her shoe just earlier, he'd seen it in her eyes.

Even now, from the corner of his own eyes, he could see her narrowed ones watching him as if she knew what he was thinking.

"Mister Gregovich, I am begggiinnggg you... Please tell us what Primordial Fracture Online offers that no other game of its genre can match."

Even the announcer was getting slightly exasperated. This back-and-forth game between them was going on for far too long.

"Sorry Kera, please forgive me, I have tattled on for long enough, haven't I? I'll answer now... Primordial Fracture Online, possesses an innovative feature that's never been replicated in any virtual reality setting whatsoever, inclusive of the private, corporate, government, or even military sectors. That feature is... True death. Of the virtual self and real body."

The previously cacophony of screaming fans was now stunned into silence.

Cole couldn't blame them, he felt the same way.

Games were supposed to be fun, where you used your wits and strategized in defeating your opponents.

They were fun precisely because you couldn't die.

In games, your virtual avatar exploded, was shot, sliced open, fell from an impossibly incredible height only to splatter into pieces on the ground, was run over by a truck, died in a hilariously stupid way, and more! The list was endless.

But by virtue of the fact that you never truly died, you just respawned however long later or restarted from a checkpoint, was what made the game fun.

You were able to try and experience things that were normally considered outside the realm of trying or enjoying.

Game definition: something a person or group of people perform to have fun or enjoyment.

Where was the fun in truly dying?

"Now, now, by that sudden silence in this arena, I take it that you're all shocked. Yes, yes, I can see it."

Evan Gregovich was once again speaking, not bothering to wait for the announcer to recommence her interview of him.

"I completely understand that. If anyone wanted to play a sh*tty game like that, we'd keep playing this one called life, right? This is why we immerse ourselves in the virtual world. To escape the struggles we endure here, for the peace, exhilaration, and exploration of that other one."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Mister Gregovich. Let's back it up a bit. I'm sure the people here and watching at home as we stream this event live to the world have plenty of questions. What you're suggesting is truly unprecedented, even, dare I say it... Horrific."

The announcer had finally found her voice after the shock had worn off.

Trying to wrap her head around this huge announcement, she tried to stall the conversation so that she could catch up.

"In Primordial Fracture Online, dying for real isn't the only challenge you'll face. No other virtual system has ever truly replicated the pain comparison between reality and virtual reality. That's changed with this game. With every damage point you incur, with every hand you feel sliced off, you'll feel the very real corresponding pain that relates directly to the injury.

"But, Mister Gregovich, please, give me a moment to catch up! What you're talking about is a false reality. Those two things you've mentioned, real pain and real death, are what threaten every person in their everyday lives. Every. Single. Day. Why would anyone want to risk losing everything playing a game, of all things?"

"Well, that is a very good question, Kera. Why do you think anyone would want to play it?"