VIRTUAL REALITY
The Nerve Gear. The first step towards true immersion in gaming. By intercepting brain signals, it was the creation of the first virtual reality.
Just like with most new technologies, there was an initial surge of interest. The main problem was the cost of the unit itself and the lack of studios willing to invest. The few companies that attempted to create games for the system failed to harness the true potential of the device with clumsy controls and chunky visuals. In the end the Nerve Gear just left most customers wondering if true virtual reality was just a pipe dream.
SWORD ART ONLINE
It seemed as though the Nerve Gear was destined to become nothing more than a stepping stone to better virtual reality technologies. But then Sword Art Online was announced. Fluid control, realistic graphics, and everything that people dreamed. It was a true replacement for reality. The beta test for Sword Art Online exploded the hype to an unbelievable level. It had far surpassed everything before it in every aspect. The small group of 1,000 testers barely managed to scratch the surface of the game, the best only reaching the second floor.
Upon release, only 10,000 copies of the game were sold. Only the extremely lucky or well connected managed to get their hands on the innovative game. Once logged in, however, players soon learned there was no way to log out. It was initially believed to be a bug, it quickly revealed as a feature. As night fell, the creator of the game summoned everyone to the center of the world an issued them a challenge. Reach the 100th floor, defeat the final boss, and everyone would be free to log out. Die along the way, however, and perish in reality as well. After forcing player's avatars to take the appearance of the players themselves and changing their names, he disappeared. Chaos erupted.
CURRENT SITUATION
It has been a week since that announcement and the player count has already dropped by a thousand. While the initial confusion had died out, the vast majority of the players still linger around town, unwilling to leave the comfort and safety of the inn while trying to grasp the entirety of the situation they've been thrust into. This video game world isn't just a game anymore. It is, truly, their lives.
If you're interested, the anime trailer provides a very accurate video representation of the plot.