Ready Player Two plot details revealed by author Ernest Cline

Several years after the release of "Ready Player One," it was reported that author Ernest Cline was hard at work on a sequel. Details about the follow-up novel were being kept tightly under wraps, but during a panel at New York Comic-Con earlier today, Cline revealed the first synopsis for "Ready Player Two," which sounds like an over-charged version of the first story.

"An unexpected quest. Two worlds at stake. Are you ready? Days after OASIS founder James Halliday’s contest, Wade Watts makes a discovery that changes everything. Hidden within Halliday’s vaults, waiting for his heir to find, lies a technological advancement that will once again change the world and make the OASIS more wondrous — and addictive — then even Wade dreamed possible. With it comes a new riddle and a new quest, a last Easter egg from Holiday, hinting at a mysterious prize, and an unexpected, impossibly powerful, new and dangerous rival awaits, one who will kill millions to get what he wants. Wade’s life and the future of the OASIS are again at stake, but this time, the fate of humanity also hangs in the balance." The first novel was adapted into a feature-film directed by Steven Spielberg, and although it had its detractors, the film was largely considered to be a critical and commercial success. It remains to be seen whether the sequel novel will also get the feature-film treatment, but while speaking with ComicBook last month, Tye Sheridan (Wade Watts) said that he's ready to return if it happens.

You know, 'Is there going to be sequel?' And I think everybody's well aware that Ernie Cline is releasing a Ready Player Two, the novel. You know, but people keep asking me and I would love to have an answer for you and I think people, you know, will and can speculate all they want, but I don't really know what the plan is yet. I have my fingers crossed and, of course, I think it's a great and I loved working on that film, so yeah, I hope, I hope we get to do another.

"Ready Player Two" will be released in hardcover, ebook, and audio-book on November 24, 2020 in the U.S.