History of the OASIS
Founding of Gregarious Games
- Establised in the 1980s by James Donovan Halliday and Ogden Morrow
- Originally a video game company based in Columbus, Ohio
- Became hugely successful with innovative games and technology
Early Years and Growth
- Kira Underwood (later Morrow) joins as an early employee
- Kira became the company's entire art department for the first two years
- After college, Kira officially joined the company
Launching the OASIS
- The company rebranded itself Gregarious Simulation Systems (GSS) as it grew beyond games
- The Ontologically Anthropocentric Sensory Immersive Simulation (OASIS) launched in 2012 as a multiplayer VR simulation
Expansion
- The OASIS quickly grew into the world's most popular platform for everything
- It grew to include locations from famous series like Back to the Future, Blade Runner
, and Star Wars
- OASIS credits became a stable currency with real-world value
- The OASIS became accessible through more advanced tech like visors and haptic gloves
Ogden Morrow's Departure
- Ogden Morrow left the company around 8 years after the OASIS really gained a following
- Rumors of a fall out with Halliday circulated, but none were ever verified
Death and Legacy
- 18 years after Ogden left the company, James Halliday died
- His death set into motion the giant competition searching for something called 'Halliday's Easter Egg'
The Hunt is Over
- 5 years after the hunt launched, Parzival won and took control