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Spheres of Influence Podcast

Affectionately referred to as a "nerdgasm" Ready Player One is the world wide best seller by Ernest Cline and now a movie by Steven Spielberg. It's 1980s pop culture references are a joy. The genius of the story is it will find young fans in the gaming community and older fans with it's plethora of Gen X easter eggs. Set in 2045, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines—puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape. This episode of #TheNewNormal is not so much a review of the book and movie but a discussion of whether the global virtual world at the centre of the story is possible and when and how it might play out. A fun chat with two of my poker friends and avid fans, Andrew & Maciek