It’s been a few years since DRcade, the hit VR game found in arcades around the world, suddenly was brought offline. The information dug up around the event is full of rumors and controversy -- did what should have been a mere VR game...nearly dismantle all electronic communication? And what about the company who sponsored the game? What about the creators? Does the original game even exist anymore?
And then one day, a different game was pushed into the market. An online, free-to-play game that suspiciously uses the game mechanics as DRcade did…
What is DRcade Online?
DRcade Online is an online application that players can download online, and released roughly around the start of Labyrinths (and therefore, past post-game Chasms).
Using a certified VR Headset, they are able to log into the application, and experience an online, virtual world….of killing games! However, unlike the real world, participants can explore murder mysteries without the fear of actual death, and anyone who does ‘die’ is brought back when the current game comes to a close. That said, there been rumors of games that don’t follow this ‘no death rule’ – but that’s just a rumor, right?
When joining DRcade Online, players will have access to a number of HUBs, each with their own world to host games. Each HUB is run by a Moderator, who not only watches over the game, but is responsible for playing Monokuma, and coordinating the events that occur within them. However, while a Moderator is able to create any world of their choosing, and even add to the game’s rules, there are a number of Core Rules that are always followed, listed on the next page. Meanwhile, each Hub can host up to 12 participants. Each participant has an Avatar, which can look as much or as little as their IRL self. Avatars have a humanoid shape, but can be accessorized to have fluffy tails, (decorative) wings, and so on. Each Avatar also has an achievement list that they can unlock as they play the game, netting them titles when the do so.
Lastly, both the Moderator and the Participants gain Coins for playing DRcade. There are a few things you can trade them in for, but hoarding them is said to unlock a certain achievement…
HOPE SIDE vs DESPAIR SIDE
DRcade Online comes in two ‘styles’, known as the HOPE side and the DESPAIR side.
The HOPE side games do not involve actual murder, and is the vanilla version of the game. When someone’s Avatar dies in the game, they watch the rest of the game in spectator mode, and are revived after the game is over.
The Despair side games are the ‘dark and edgy’ version of the game. Hosted by unknown Moderators, any avatars who die in these games also die in real life. Unlike HOPE side games, the characters who log into these games may not know about the adjusted killing rule.
Additional Setting Notes:
DRcade: The original game, which was an arcade game using headsets. The game was sponsored by several companies, but inevitability tanked their reputation when DRcade’s program leaked into electronic devices and nearly shut down the world’s infrastructure. That said, no one can actually prove this event to be true, and many believe this rumor actually is covering up something more sinister. You can read the forums to see what the premise was like!
The Organization: A nefarious assassination business with no name tied to it. Rumored to be responsible for many, many deaths that cannot be traced back to, their members are unknown to the general public. A few years back, the Organization found themselves fighting within the company. Unable to agree on the company’s next heir, the Organization split, and are now tied to two, vastly different factions:
- The Devoted, who believe in trust. In the past, they hired assassins to well-trusted families in order to protect those families, while said families sponsored them. After the organization split, however, they now wish to eliminate the Unknown at any cost, in order not only project their trusted clients, but to protect the general public.
- The Unknown, who split from the Organization for their differing views. They are not afraid to con anyone if it’s to their advantage, and are actively looking for new assassins to rebuild their repertoire.
After the Organization’s split, it was the current Organization lead’s goal to bring DRcade back safe and sound, without any outside interference. While they succeeded, they never expected DRcade to be brought back to the public eye – nor expected The Unknown to rig the game’s programming for their own desires. After failure upon failure to shut DRcade ONLINE’s servers down, The Devoted had no choice but to actively fight in these dangerous Hubs – hoping to find a way to bring down The Unknown once and for all.