COVIDYSTOPIA- April 20, 2032 AD (Somewhere in a new world city. Story by – Govind Vijayakumar)
When the pandemic hit, E stayed inside, playing Bandami Co’s Underlord: Dungeons of Despair. As the virus spread across continents, he played ever so hard, slashing, with mirthful glee, at every opponent the game threw in front of him. Until he got to the Gatekeeper Orc. There was no getting beyond it. He had rummaged through hours of content on the Internet. None of the users knew what lay beyond.
As the pandemic peaked, he started creating his own content, breaking down each movement of the orc as he engaged it in battle over multiple iterations. And just as he was about to get the better of the beast, Bandami Co declared bankruptcy and the game was taken off the market.
Fast forward to 2032. The virus has all but vanished. But it has left a heavy toll behind. E hears news of the economy getting better. Life’s no more fun and games. Jobs are hard to be found. He can barely provide for his kid what he took for granted in his childhood.
One day, he received a message from a newly reinstated Bandami Co indicating that they are keen on recreating their old games. They were impressed with the content that E had put out over a decade ago and that their best minds could simply not put the Gatekeeper Orc back together. An employment opportunity was waiting for E if he was so inclined.
It's an unusual job. But it pays well. The company lets him know whenever a player reaches the final gate. A glimmer of fear strikes each time as the screen comes to life and he turns into the enormous Orc. E is now ready to keep the slashers at bay.
(Disclaimer – this is fiction, exploring the what-ifs, post pandemic)