“That’s fine, thanks.” I say to the nurse that’s re-arranging my pillows. She moves back to her cart and pushes it outside the room, to carry on her rounds. I use my arms to push myself further into the pillows before plugging my headphones into my phone and replaying the video I’ve been watching on repeat all day. The latest presentation for the new “NewReality” MMORPG. Nephilim Online.

A man is on a stage, facing a crowd of journalists. As he begins to speak, his name appears at the bottom of the screen. Sam Paul - Nephilim Online Technical Lead. “Good afternoon everyone. To cut it short and as to not waste your time, I’ll be blunt. Nephilim Online is to be delayed for 3 months.” The journalists immediately begin talking over each other and shooting their hands in the air. Sam lazily points at one of them.

A woman with mousy brown hair starts speaking. "It's fair to say there's been considerable excitement around Nephilim Online. The grand promises about it being a 'NewReality' game rather than a Virtual Reality MMORPG that we've seen before. However, will there be any game play footage provided before the games release? We actually know very little about Nephilim Online and given the gaming industry's history of over promising and under delivering, consumers are understandably concerned".

Sam takes a moment to digest her statement. "That's a fair statement." He pauses. "And yes, you will see Gameplay. Right now, actually."

Exclamations of shock arise from the audience as other Nephilim Online staff members bring a reclining char and a full-head headset on stage. Whilst they do this, I see a black screen with the Nephilim Online logo descend from the ceiling.

Sam picks up the headset. "This is the NewReality Interface Gear. We call it N-RIG for short." He pauses again. "Who wants to be the first person outside the company to try Nephilim Online?"

He smiles as the audience all jump to their feet as one, shouting for his attention. He looks back at the woman with the mousy hair who raised the question. "How about you? it seems fair, it was your question after all."

She quickly rushes onto the stage and sits in the chair. As the staff begin briefing her and connecting her up, Sam begins explaining more about the game world.

"The reason we call this a NewReality game is because that is what it feels like. Inside that N-RIG, everything gives a sensory input directly to the brain. Touch, taste, sense, even pain. This pain setting can be reduced or turned off if you prefer. However early testers have preferred to leave it on, its a useful indicator in combat scenarios when you've been hit. The world is ever evolving and developing by itself, with or without player interaction. Because of this, it's rare that the same quest line can be completed by more than one player or one group. Every player will have a unique experience of the game. Despite this, the game's system is consistently generating quests for players, so it's impossible to run out. We call this the Evolving Quest system."

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Behind him on the screen, the journalist selected has been taken through a quick intro by the on-stage staff and transported into the game via a premade character. As she wanders through the digital world, the audience gasps as a dragon flies overhead. Although it appears far away, it's close enough to make out the incredible detail on the creature. Sam smiles.

"When I say it's a living, evolving world, I don't just mean the non-player characters that you'll find populated the various towns and cities. each monster has its own needs, wants and goals. Dragons want to protect their treasure hoards, wildlife want to eat and mate. Nephilim Online is truly a New Reality. Are there any questions?"

A small man stands up and speaks into his microphone. "Is it true that the game is being delayed due to potential health issues related to the hardware involved with maintaining an interface between the player and the game?"

Sam sighs at the reporter. "Those rumours have been swimming around since the game was first announced. It's true that there have been issues with the hardware but I have to stress that they are in no way related to the health of our players." He clasps his hands together. "We recognize however, that the news of this delay is frustrating, especially for our early adopters. To hopefully ease this news, we are opening pop-up locations across the country to allow people to try the game in its current form. Behind him I see a screen roll down with a list of locations. "We hope to see you there".

The video playback stops and I put my phone down with a defeated sigh as my doctor Stephanie approaches. "Something wrong, Michael?".

I look up at her. She's in her fifties, with shoulder length brown hair. A pretty face worn down by age and the stresses of working in a high pressure environment. "It's this new game coming out. I just found out it's been delayed. I was hoping to get a chance to play it before...you know."

She frowns. "Unfortunately, keeping you alive is more important. I wish there was another method but this is the best chance we have of helping you."

Of course, I don't know why I expected any other response. I have a degenerative disease that's slowly causing me to die. I'd tell you the name of it, but frankly, it's a long, complicated name and I don't actually remember it. I've been in hospital for the past year. In order to keep me alive, they're hoping to slow down the progress of the disease by inducing a coma. So no Nephilim Online for me. "They're actually opening a pop-up location where you can try the game in this city soon." I leave the hint hanging in the air.

Stephanie shakes her head. "That's not possible either. You know that."

She's right of course. I'm hooked up to a bunch of wires and tubes that monitor my body and handle my uh, delicate functions. I lie back, dejected.

Stephanie finishes up whatever checks she wanted to do before saying goodbye and leaving my room. The bonus of having a rare disease is that you get your own sanitised white box away from the other patients in the hospital. I pick up a book that Stephanie left for me. She said it was a classic from her youth, but frankly, it's trash. It's about two cancer patients and they go to Amsterdam or something using make a wish. I don't know, I skimmed it.

Actually, hold on.

What's the point in dying if you don't get to get free stuff out of it?

I pick my phone back up and start making a search. 'Nephilim Online contact details'. I hit return and scroll until I find the right email address. I begin typing, my thumbs flying across the touch pad.

"Dear Sam Paul. My name is Michael, I'm a huge fantasy MMO fan and I need some help…"