It’s the era of VR gaming. People are hooked, diving into games that feel so real it’s like they’ve stepped into another world.
Action, adventure, RPG—these genres own the market right now. No surprise there. What started as a student craze quickly spread, pulling in adults too. VR games are different, they say. It’s not just about playing; it’s about feeling. The rush, the floating sensation, the goosebumps—it’s addictive.
And then there’s the latest contender in the VR world: a so-called groundbreaking title still in its experimental phase. But that hasn’t stopped the hype. Everyone’s either playing it or itching to get their hands on it. The premise? A zombie survival game where you climb the ranks, become the ultimate zombie slayer, explore diverse locations, and fight your way to the end against evolving undead. The PVP feature is one of the factor of its success. Players can fight each other while still battling the zombie hordes. And despite being unfinished, the game’s already got people hooked.
Deadland: Rebirth.
Some wonder if it’s all just hype. One of them is Kai, a 20-year-old who’s turned VR gaming into a coping mechanism after losing his job. He grabbed the game during its pre-release phase. He is curious on why the hell is everyone so obsessed with a pre-release game? Is it just clever marketing? To him, it’s just another zombie game.
“Man, I wonder what the full release will have,” Michael said, Kai's long-time gaming buddy.
Kai ran a hand through his hair, his legs sprawled out as he sighed in annoyance. “I’m just glad I got to try the pre-release.”
“You’re not buying the full version?” Michael asked, raising an eyebrow.
“The price is insane, Mike. No way I’m dropping that kind of cash for a game. I’ll stick to this pre-release and call it a day,” Kai replied.
The pre-release of Deadland: Rebirth costs $25—a decent deal for something still in development. But the full version? That’s a whopping $999. For someone barely scraping by, it’s not even an option. Kai couldn’t wrap his head around it. Sure, it promised more features, but at that price? It felt like a game meant for rich kids, not regular gamers like him.
"Aaaaagh! I really want to play the main release on launch day!" Michael groaned, clutching his head in frustration. The price tag was clearly driving him nuts.
"Dude, just stick to the pre-release, like I said," Kai replied, tossing the VR gear aside and heading toward the kitchen.
"Like hell I’m gonna settle for this while everyone else is playing the full version!" Michael shot back, practically fuming.
Ezra chuckled as he grabbed a mug and poured himself some coffee. "Then work your ass off if you want it that bad," he said, taking a sip.
"Speaking of work... are you job hunting again?" Michael asked, his tone shifting.
Kai used to juggle two jobs—a fast food gig and a delivery job—but losing both at once hit him hard. At first, getting fired from the fast food job felt like no big deal. But when the second one followed the next day, it crushed him. That’s when VR became his escape.
"Yeah," Kai finally said, taking another sip. "Why? Thinking of joining me in the grind?"
"Hell no," Michael laughed. "I can’t do what you do, man. Two jobs? I’d die. I’m fine with my one crappy job, thanks."
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Kai smirked, but his mind drifted. What if he’d gone to college? Would life be easier? Maybe. Maybe not. Life didn’t come with guarantees. He’d always been on a different path anyway. Back in high school, he was that kid—the troublemaker. Fistfights, suspension threats, the works. He liked the rush, but he knew it couldn’t last. Somehow, he managed to graduate without getting expelled, though it was a close call.
Kai again sat besides Michael grabbing the VR and dropping the mug of coffee on the table. "Let’s play one more time." He said putting the VR.
"Then let's bet for this one?" Michael said with a confident tone, a tone that he knew he gonna win.
Deadland Pre released offered a feature where players can face themselves in a 1v1 game, where they can use weapons for killing each other, they will choose a location to battle and it's generally like a first person shooter game but the twist is that there is still a zombies in the theme where it will spawn in a random time so they are killing each other while still getting rid of the zombies, killing them can give the player a rare items and a points.
Bang!
"You’re too weak." Kai said teasingly as he killed Michael in the first round.
"Just you wait." He replied.
After that play, they play for another 2 rounds and decided to call it end.
The score is 3-0 in favor of Kai.
image [https://clipart-library.com/images/8czrRMbdi.png]
"That'll be 10 dollars," the clerk said as Kai placed his items on the counter.
Kai had just picked up some vegetables and meat—enough to last him for three days. It was part of his routine: a quick trip to the supermarket for dinner. He didn’t mind it. Walking to the store was more like a workout than a chore. He saw it as exercise, something he needed to do regularly.
Living alone wasn’t easy, but it was the reality. His parents were both gone. His mother had passed away when he was in high school, taken by cancer. Her death had changed him, turning him into the troublemaker he became. Then, just after he landed his first job, his father was in an accident. He was rushed to the hospital, but by the time they arrived, it was too late. His dad was gone.
It hit him hard. For months, Kai wasn’t himself. He barely ate, barely left the house. But Michael, his friend, had been there. He pulled Kai out of the dark place he’d been stuck in. Slowly, things started to feel normal again, but there was always that empty space. A mother gone. A father gone. Something was always missing.
image [https://clipart-library.com/images/8czrRMbdi.png]
Shhhh...
Kai stood in front of the mirror, his reflection clear and steady. His upper body was visible—white skin, lean but not too muscular, not too skinny. Just right for his height of 5'9".
He always preferred cold showers. It had been part of his routine since high school. The shower was his favorite time of day—just him, alone, the cold water hitting his skin. It was the one time he could think clearly, the only moment when his mind felt truly at rest, yet fully aware. After a cold shower, he’d go make dinner. He loved salty food, but over time, he learned that if he wanted to stick around longer, he had to eat balanced meals, not just salty and sweet stuff.
Bzzzzt!
As he prepared his dinner, his phone buzzed. A notification from a familiar game name—DL, or Deadland. He didn’t care much. He was busy. It was probably just another social media update.
Bzzzzt!
It buzzed again.
Bzzt!
Again.
Kai was getting annoyed. He thought about muting it, but then he saw the name again—Deadland. His annoyance shifted to curiosity. What was it? Maybe an update on the main release? A pre-release patch? Or just some random shoutout to the players? Whatever it was, he decided to check.
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Urgently Hiring!
Game Testers!
"We need 500 testers before the main release of Deadland!"
Requirements:
• Must be a VR gamer
• Must have played the pre-release
For more details, check the email and sign up. If selected, you’ll be invited for a face-to-face interview.
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Tester? Why would a game like Deadland, a huge hit with its pre-release, need so many people to test it? And they are hiring! A tester is someone developers hire to check if the game runs smoothly, if it's player-friendly, and if there are any bugs left.
Kai hovered over the email. What if he applied? It was just for a tester role—quick and easy, and he was looking for something to do anyway. But his curiosity wasn’t satisfied yet. He had to know how much they were paying. The email didn’t say anything about the rate, just a button to apply for a face-to-face interview.
Apply!
He wasn’t sure if he really wanted it, but it was a quick job, right? Why not? He’d earn some cash doing something he actually enjoyed.
Click.
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Thank you for applying!
We’ll contact you if you’re selected for an interview.
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The message flashed on his screen. The chance to play a game he couldn’t afford was part of why he’d applied. He probably wouldn’t get to play the main release anyway, so why not take a shot at being a tester?
Bzzz!
Kai groaned. “What now?”
He checked the phone. It was Michael. Kai figured he was calling about the hiring too. He would’ve called him about it, but Michael sounded way more hyped than he was.
“Man!” Michael shouted, his voice full of excitement. “Did you see the hiring?!”
“Yeah. I already signed up,” Kai replied.
“I signed up too. If this is the second job we were talking about, I’d quit my current one in a heartbeat,” Michael laughed.
“You’re crazy, Mike,” Kai said. “I’m hanging up now. Let me know if they accept you for an interview.”
“It’s gonna be sick, man! Catch you later!” Michael said, ending the call.
It was a huge hiring push—500 testers needed, so of course they were sending out invites to tons of Deadland players across the country before going global. But was it the right move? Hiring so many testers had its downsides too. Even if it helped the game, what would the outcome really be?