The story follows Wade Watts, a poor teenager who spends most of his life in the OASIS. When its creator, James Halliday, dies, he leaves behind a global scavenger hunt hidden in the virtual world. Whoever solves a series of riddles filled with 1980s pop culture references (such as video games, movies, music, and D&D0 wins Halliday’s fortune and control of the OASIS.