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Ready Player One Offers A Glimpse Of The Columbus Skyline

When the first Ready Player One trailer was released last year, I’m not going to lie, I got pretty excited hearing Wade declare “I live here, in Columbus, Ohio.”

Based on the novel by Ohio-native, Ernest Cline, Ready Player One explores a futuristic world where virtual reality is everything. In the film, Wade Watts lives in Columbus and escapes the miserable reality of life in 2045 the same way everyone else does: by spending time in the Oasis.

The Oasis started as a virtual reality game but has morphed into a lifestyle, and after it’s creator James Halliday dies, a race kicks off to control it.

Although the movie is set here in our city, it was actually filmed in the UK. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t tiny glimpses of Columbus throughout the movie. Thanks to Redditor u/peteroast, we can even get a quick view of the Columbus skyline.

via Reddit

If you look closely, you can make out some of the most iconic buildings in the Columbus skyline, even if they are in the wrong place. Although Cline grew up in Ashland, he spent time living and working here in Columbus, and the city influenced him while writing the book.

In the story, Innovative Online Industries, or IOI, is the world’s premiere internet provider. The IOI’s headquarters is located at 101 IOI Plaza in Columbus and according to Cline, it was “a little bit based on the Nationwide [Insurance] building.”

You can take a look at the digital recreation of Columbus for yourself when Ready Player One hits theatres on March 29.