What Did a 2018 Movie Get Right About the Future?
In 2018, Steven Spielberg brought to the big screen the adaptation of Ernest Cline’s novel Ready Player One. The film depicts a dystopian future where reality is in decline, and much of the population seeks refuge in OASIS, a fully immersive virtual world. But looking at today’s real world, how accurate was this movie in predicting technological and social advancements? After all, how did Ready Player One predicted the future of technology?
The film’s impact goes beyond entertainment: it anticipates debates on virtual reality, the digital economy, and the influence of big tech on society. Many of the trends that seemed distant in 2018 have become part of our daily lives within just a few years.
1. The Metaverse and Virtual Reality
From Fiction to Reality: Are We Creating Our Own OASIS?
In the movie’s universe, OASIS represents the promise of an unlimited virtual world where people can lead alternate lives, work, study, and have fun. This concept seemed like fiction just a few years ago, but today we see significant advancements in virtual reality and the development of the metaverse.
Companies like Meta (Facebook), Microsoft, and Epic Games have invested billions in developing interactive digital spaces. Devices such as the Oculus Quest 3, HTC Vive, and Apple Vision Pro have taken VR technology to new heights. Platforms like Roblox, VRChat, and Fortnite already function as early versions of OASIS, offering social events and immersive experiences.
What’s Still Missing?
However, there are still barriers to overcome. The lack of interoperability between platforms, the high cost of VR devices, and social acceptance of the technology are challenges that hinder mass adoption. The movie predicted a future where virtual reality would dominate our lives, but the transition is still in progress.
2. The Digital Economy and Virtual Goods
Before Ready Player One: The First Steps of the Digital Economy in Gaming
The idea that digital items could have real economic value was one of the film’s most visionary aspects. In OASIS, players buy and sell virtual goods, creating their own digital economy. This concept has become a reality, though in a different form than the movie suggested.
While games like World of Warcraft, Diablo II, and Team Fortress 2 already allowed the purchase and sale of virtual items, these transactions were limited to closed ecosystems where players could trade digital goods only within the game’s own systems.
Today, games like CS2, Fortnite, and Valorant have taken this practice to a new level, generating billions of dollars through the sale of skins and digital items widely traded on external platforms. While older virtual economies were often informal or reliant on third-party markets, modern games integrate these transactions directly, allowing developers to profit from them. Meanwhile, the NFT market attempted to solidify the concept of digital ownership between 2020 and 2022 but lost traction due to speculation and a lack of practical utility. However, blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies continue to advance as infrastructure for digital transactions and decentralized finance.
From Skins to Cryptocurrencies: The New Era of the Digital Economy
Although the exact OASIS model does not yet exist, the digital economy is undeniably real. People not only buy virtual goods but also make money by creating content within games like Roblox and Minecraft. The monetization of digital creativity is one of the most tangible legacies of this prediction.
3. The Centralization of Digital Power
OASIS or Monopoly? Who Controls Our Digital Future?
The film portrays IOI (Innovative Online Industries) as a corporation seeking to monopolize OASIS for financial exploitation. This narrative has become eerily familiar in the real world, where major tech companies increasingly dominate the digital economy.
Giants like Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft have grown exponentially and wield global influence, controlling digital infrastructure, advertising, and user data. Today, the battle for control of the metaverse is not fought between fictional heroes and villains but among corporations heavily investing to establish dominance over the virtual space.
Are We Being Consumed by the System We Created?
Additionally, governments and regulatory bodies are trying to curb the power of these companies by launching antitrust investigations and debates on digital regulation. The tension between digital freedom and corporate control is a direct reflection of what Ready Player One envisioned.
4. Escaping Reality and the Virtualization of Life
Is the Virtual World Already More Appealing Than Reality?
The world of Ready Player One depicts a society spending more time inside OASIS than in the real world. As quality of life deteriorates, digital refuge becomes irresistible. And this idea is not far from reality.
The 2020 pandemic accelerated the digitization of work and entertainment. Millions of people started conducting meetings, classes, and events online, drastically reducing the need for physical interactions. Games like Minecraft, Fortnite, and GTA Online have evolved from mere entertainment to social spaces where friendships and entire communities are built.
What Is Real and What Is Virtual?
Screen dependency is increasing. Social media, streaming platforms, and digital environments constantly compete for our attention. While there is still a balance between the real and the virtual, the trend is for this line to become increasingly blurred—just as the film predicted.
Has the Future Already Begun?
The movie Ready Player One got many predictions about the future of technology right, but are we ready for what comes next? If virtual reality continues to evolve, we may soon see a future where the line between digital and physical becomes unrecognizable. The question is: are we shaping this future, or are we merely following the path that technology dictates?
If the digital world keeps expanding at this pace, we might find ourselves living in an OASIS sooner than expected. But will we manage to balance technology and reality, or is humanity doomed to lose itself within its own digital creation? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Where to Watch?
The movie Ready Player One is available to watch on Prime Video!
