Freedom™

Plot

The Daemon, a distributed artificial intelligence created by the late game designer Matthew Sobol, has taken over the computer networks of many corporations and governments. Some companies have given in out of fear of destruction, while others have been won over by a system of algorithmic governance that they find more just and efficient. Though the Daemon is a piece of technology, most of its work is carried out by human agents who are forced to reshape the world according to Sobol's plan.

These followers are linked through the Darknet and have built their own economy and ranking system using the engine from Sobol's celebrated game The Gate. Their online identities work like a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, where operatives complete tasks to earn higher status, unlock new tools, and receive assistance from the Daemon to improve their communities. Many towns across the United States have gradually joined the Daemon's network to better their own circumstances and society. The wider world still dismisses the Daemon as a hoax, thanks to the U.S. government and its allies pretending to remain in control.

In reality, the American political and economic order is falling apart, with fuel prices and unemployment soaring. The narrative follows several characters, including Sebeck, a reluctant Daemon operative sent on a mission by the avatar of the late Matthew Sobol—a quest that will decide the meaning of freedom for humanity. Equipped with augmented reality glasses that let him see Darknet data and threads, Sebeck works alongside another operative, Laney Price, and soon discovers that the entire Darknet community is watching his every move.