What are you supposed to do when you’re gearing up for the world's biggest gaming event, only to get saddled with a dud of a race and a joke of a class? It’s 2068, and the world has collectively decided that leaving the house is simply not worth the hassle. Most of society now lives, works, and dreams through the world’s most immersive MMORPG, Realms of the Aether—or ROTA, for those who like their lives boiled down to four-letter acronyms. This isn’t just a game; it’s an all-encompassing reality simulator that’s replaced nearly everything people used to do in the “real” world. Aiden, a solidly mid-tier professional gamer, is one of the hundreds of thousands joining a brand-new competitive event that’s been hyped as the “most intense, cutthroat, thrilling experience in gaming history.” As he prepares to dive in, Aiden’s got high hopes of leaving his mark and maybe, just maybe, cashing in on that gamer glory. Unfortunately, what awaits him is a game with a few secrets of its own. First, there's the RNG system, which gleefully hands him a race and class that seem more suited for a comic relief sidekick than a serious contender. Then, there’s the game’s notorious lack of fairness—a system that laughs in the face of balance and expects players to “adapt or die” in the most literal sense. And let’s not forget the developers themselves, whose idea of support is a snarky reminder that "life’s never been fair, so don't start expecting it now." Thrown into the fray with a character that looks more like a punchline than a hero, Aiden must navigate ROTA's broken cities, mythic landscapes, and occasional death traps. In a world that defies all expectations (and tutorials), he'll find out if sheer determination—and perhaps a warped sense of humour—can turn the game's hand in his favour. Or if, in the end, the universe has reserved a special place for him… right on the sidelines.