Before Ready Player One became a box office hit, it was a beloved gem by author Ernest Cline. His debut novel, released in 2011, won numerous awards and countless fans for its strong and engaging storyline, relatable characters, and heart-pounding action. Part of what makes the Ready Player One series so memorable is that it’s much more than it appears at surface level. Not just a sci-fi/fantasy romp, it's a story with real-world lessons and takeaways about the dangers posed by invasive tech, the impact of poverty, and the human desire for belonging. Narrated by actor Wil Wheaton, the book and its sequel Ready Player Two are well worth a listen—or a re-listen.
Serious and cynical, filled with life lessons and reflections on honesty, faith, connection, and reality, here are 30 of the best quotes from Ready Player One.
Escapism & Virtual Reality
“Being human totally sucks most of the time. Videogames are the only thing that make life bearable.”
“You don't live in the real world... You're like me. You live inside this illusion.”
“I'd come to see my rig for what it was: an elaborate contraption for deceiving my senses, to allow me to live in a world that didn't exist. Each component of my rig was a bar in a cell where I had willingly imprisoned myself.”
“The collected knowledge, art, and amusements of all human civilization were there, waiting for me. But gaining access to all of that information turned out to be something of a mixed blessing. Because that was when I found out the truth.”
“Going outside is highly overrated.”
“Growing up as a human being on the planet Earth in the twenty-first century was a real kick in the teeth. Existentially speaking.”
Reality, Mortality & Truth
“I realized, as terrifying and painful as reality can be, it’s also the only place where you can find true happiness. Because reality is real.”
“Growing up as a human being on the planet Earth in the twenty-first century was a real kick in the teeth. Existentially speaking.”
“You're probably wondering what's going to happen to you. That's easy. The same thing is going to happen to you that has happened to every other human being who has ever lived. You're going to die. We all die. That's just how it is.”
“What happens when you die? Well, we're not completely sure. But the evidence seems to suggest that nothing happens. You're just dead, your brain stops working, and then you're not around to ask annoying questions anymore.”
“I know the future is scary at times. But there's just no escaping it.”
“For a bunch of hairless apes, we've actually managed to invent some pretty incredible things.”
Knowledge, Obsession & Innovation
“You’d be amazed how much research you can get done when you have no life whatsoever. Twelve hours a day, seven days a week, is a lot of study time.”
“For a bunch of hairless apes, we've actually managed to invent some pretty incredible things.”
“I tried to keep my cool. I tried to remain skeptical. I reminded myself that I was a man of science, even if I did usually get a C in it.”
“Whenever I saw the sun, I reminded myself that I was looking at a star.”
“Being a gunter was a lot like being in a cult. The only thing that really mattered was the Hunt.”
Isolation, Society & Technology
“Capitalism would inch forward, without my actually having to interact face-to-face with another human being. Which was exactly how I preferred it, thank you.”
“The ability to mute my peers was one of my favorite things about attending school online, and I took advantage of it almost daily.”
“We were all just huddled together, avoiding reality, living inside a video game.”
“People who live in glass houses should shut the fuck up.”
“No one in the world gets what they want and that is beautiful.”
Love, Connection & Humanity
“Talking to girls was out of the question. To me, they were like some exotic alien species, both beautiful and terrifying.”
“We sat there awhile, holding hands, reveling in the strange new sensation of actually touching one another.”
“Some time later, she leaned over and kissed me. It felt like all those songs and poems had promised it would. It felt wonderful. Like being struck by lightning.”
“I’d finally found something worth fighting for—something more important than myself.”
“For the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel alone.”
“The game was meant to be played. That was the point of it all.”
Secrets, Power & Destiny
“One person can keep a secret, but not two.”
“We’re supposed to be the good guys. We don’t crush our enemies under our boots. We don’t need to.”
“Being poor sucks. It really sucks. But the worst thing about being poor is that it makes you invisible.”
“It occurred to me then that perhaps the keys were not meant to be won, but to be earned.”
“The game was meant to be played. That was the point of it all.”
