My capsule had arrived. Groggily, I got out of bed and opened the door to find an impatient-looking delivery man standing there. "Sign here, here, and here," he said quickly. I signed, and he left—just like that.
Well, that wasn't what I expected, but okay. My capsule was finally here. Even though I still had to unpack it, I couldn't help but feel excited. I pushed the heavy package into my bedroom and made space by moving my bed out of the way.
This capsule is versatile—it can be used during the day or night, and you can even sleep in it. They say it's not recommended to stay in longer than necessary, though. It's enough to use it during the nighttime while you're asleep.
What makes it special is the time dilation feature. For every hour in real life, you can experience two hours in the game. That means I can spend 16 hours online while still getting a full night's sleep. It also has a ton of safety features in case anything happens while you're inside. If your heart rate gets too high, it disconnects you and opens automatically.
That said, you still have to go outside for essentials. Even though the game can recreate the taste and feel of food, it doesn't actually provide nutrients. Maybe they'll add that in the future, but for now, reality still wins on that front.
Back to unboxing. I looked at the massive package in my bedroom and got started. First, I peeled off the paper, plastic, and layers of protective packaging—there was so much of it, but I guess that's expected for something this expensive.
When I finally got a good look at it, I was in awe. It was sleek and beautiful, about the size of a bed. It looked comfortable too—you can either sit or lie down while using it. What's cool is that even when you're not in VR mode, you can use the capsule to sleep or relax. It can display things like movies, virtual tours, and more. Those features aren't fully functional yet since the capsule just launched, but it's still nice to know I didn't spend all that money just to play one game.
I plugged it in, and it lit up with a soft glow. It looked incredible.
I climbed in, lay down, and suddenly everything went black.
What's happening?!
"WELCOME, USER: PROCEED WITH ACCOUNT CREATION? Y/N"
The words appeared in bold letters, right in front of my eyes. I couldn't see anything else—not even my own body. It felt strange, but also really cool.
Of course, I selected "Yes" and started the registration process. It asked for all kinds of details—my bank account, a DNA sample to bond the account to me (you can only have one account per capsule), and other minor information.
After registering, I was taken to the character creation screen. My character was already pre-made based on the scan of my body when I lay in the capsule. It was so detailed, like looking into a mirror. Should I change anything?
I decided to make a small tweak: I added white tips to my black hair. I thought it looked pretty cool. Everything else was fine, so I confirmed the design.
Loading… loading…
Ugh, my internet connection is so slow.
When it finally loaded, my character appeared dressed in basic clothes. I found myself in a lobby. Every player starts here—it's like a personal space where you can hang out, relax, and customize your surroundings. You can also connect to multiplayer hubs, where there are other players and NPCs that are so advanced it's hard to tell them apart from real people.
PvP isn't allowed in the lobby, but you can still do almost anything else. My hub was currently just an empty grass field, but I didn't mind. It was peaceful, a welcome change from the chaos of my everyday life.
I strolled through the field, enjoying the peace, but my stomach growled, reminding me that I'd skipped breakfast. A quick glance at the time showed it was already 2 p.m.—definitely lunchtime.
Thinking about food, I accessed the menu by thinking about it, and it popped up instantly. I saw the logout button and decided to try it.
The next thing I knew, I was back in the real world. The capsule hissed softly as it opened.
I climbed out, feeling stiff. After stretching for a bit, I headed to the fridge—only to find it empty. Of course. What else did I expect?
I ended up going to the nearest fast-food place, grabbed something cheap, and ate. Honestly, I'm already sick of this unhealthy junk, but what choice do I have?
Walking back home, I made a promise to myself: if I ever earn enough money, I'll buy a giant fridge, stock it with all kinds of ingredients, and actually learn how to cook.
When I got home, I flopped onto the couch, thinking about the game. It was already 4 p.m.—just three hours left until launch.