If visitor numbers to digital spaces are anything to go by, the science fiction novel Ready Player Two has built quite the fanbase. As of this week, over 28 million players have visited the Ready Player Two hub in the blocky creation game Roblox.
The Roblox space has become popular since its launch in November 2020 by offering in-game goodies and events themed after the novel. For example, anyone who enters the hub will earn a digital book to wear on their head (yes, you read that right), as well as a shirt. In addition, the hub presents players with a set of puzzles to complete and relics to earn, and if all seven relics are collected, players can grab a digital pair of META Shades. There are also a handful of themed items available from the in-game shop. Finally, you can also watch a Q&A session with the novel’s author, Ernest Cline, in the hub.
The event was originally designed as a promotional campaign for the novel, going live ahead of the book’s release. It granted a handful of special items for the first set of players to finish the games. Despite the novel having been released in November 2020, the event has continued on and has proven to retain a strong user base.
Ready Player Two launched to commercial success in spite of a lukewarm critical reception. Cline confirmed in December that a film adaptation was already in the works. Meanwhile, Roblox continues to be one of the most popular games in the world, with around 200 million active users. Yet, in contrast to extremely strong revenue, Roblox still does not make a profit.
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