History YMMV / ReadyPlayerOne2018

** ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' mascot Tracer has a split-second reaction shot that is featured in a trailer and is a RecurringExtra in the film proper. She even has a few minor lines provided by her regular voice actress Creator/KaraTheobold.

** ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' character Tracer has a split-second reaction shot that is featured in a trailer and is a RecurringExtra in the film proper.

** Ruby Rose of ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' makes an appearance. Creator/RoosterTeeth co-founder Burnie Burns was actually shocked that he was approached for permission for her to show up.

** Spawn and Goro appear as avatars in the film. By May 2019, Spawn is a guest for ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11''.
** During ''Film/TheShining'' act of the film, it is noted beforehand how Creator/StephenKing didn't like the Creator/StanleyKubrick adaptation of said story. Come 2019, ''Film/DoctorSleep'' is released and Stephen King feels that this film "redeemed" the Kubrick adaptation. Not only that but ''Franchise/StarWars'' is mentioned in the this film and Creator/EwanMcGregor stars in ''Doctor Sleep'' as Daniel Torrance.

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: Prior to his death, Creator/GeneWilder was considered for the role of Halliday. The marketing's use of [[Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory "Pure Imagination"]] feels like a midpoint between loving tribute and genius ActorAllusion.

** A lot of people view it as a missed opportunity that Wade/Parzival talking to the Curator after watching James Halliday's video [[spoiler: about going backwards]], or just simply watching said video, didn't act as some sort of EventFlag that would finally allow the player who achieved the flag to [[spoiler: open the ramp that leads to the race's backwards track. Doing it this way would have provided a much more believable explanation as to why players couldn't figure it out for five years that the key to beating the race was to just go backwards]].

** During ''Film/TheShining'' sequence of the film, it is noted how Creator/StephenKing didn't like the Creator/StanleyKubrick adaptation of said story. Come 2019, ''Film/DoctorSleep'' is released and Stephen King feels that this film "redeemed" the Kubrick adaptation. Not only that but ''Franchise/StarWars'' is mentioned in the this film and Creator/EwanMcGregor stars in ''Doctor Sleep'' as Daniel Torrance.

** During ''Film/TheShining'' sequence of the film, it is noted how Creator/StephenKing didn't like the Creator/StanleyKubrick adaptation of said story. Come 2019, ''Film/DoctorSleep'' is released and Stephen King feels that this film "redeemed" the Kubrick adaptation. Not only that but ''Franchise/StarWars'' is mentioned in the this film and ''Creator/EwanMcGregor'' stars in Doctor Sleep as Daniel Torrance.

** During ''Film/TheShining'' sequence of the film, it is noted how Creator/StephenKing didn't like the Creator/StanleyKubrick adaptation of said story. Come 2019, ''Film/DoctorSleep'' is released and Stephen King feels that this film "redeemed" the Kubrick adaptation.

** The [[https://i.redd.it/nn6et0p3tx201.jpg first official poster]] showing the main character's right leg looking abnormally long.
** Mark Rylance's performance as Halliday, as he really looks like he's stoned.

** IOI's investigation staff being composed of people with stereotypical nerd appearances. Their company uniform being clearly based on the classical poindexter attire doesn't help.

** Why did Sorrento [[spoiler:not shoot Wade when he has the chance to in the climax? Did he decide it was useless now that Wade had obtained the egg? Or did something about Wade's face in that moment affect Sorrento on an emotional level? If so, did it have anything to do with the time he spent as Halliday's intern?]]
*** Sorrento as a character in general. Some see him as just a CorruptCorporateExecutive bent on milking as much money from the public as possible, but what if it was his internship with Halliday that made him that way? Think about it: you get an internship to work with a man whose games you love to play and are eager to learn how he does what he does. However, what does he do instead: have you go get coffee for him and ignores you. After taking that for a long period of time, wouldn't you consider abandoning your dreams of being a programmer and going into becoming a businessman? What if Halliday, essentially, created the person Sorrento is by basically [[BrokenPedestal crushing his hope and dreams]], making him as he is in the film? The ending would make sense as to why Sorrento didn't pull the trigger on Wade when he had the chance: he was reminded of that person who wanted to be a game programmer and who loved video games.

** The scene where Wade's neighbors comfort Sorrento does show some impressive real-world bravery and righteousness from people who've been living their lives inside of their heads. [[spoiler: Then he pulls out a gun and they all just back off]].

** This film ended up being released the same year as a number of other [[MassiveMultiplayerCrossover Massive Multiplayer Crossovers]] (''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'', and ''Disney/RalphBreaksTheInternet'', among others), which lead to jokes that all of these properties were fighting to be the biggest crossover of 2018.

* {{HSQ}}: Too many examples to list, really. [[spoiler:The biggest example absolutely has to be seeing the Iron Giant fight Mechagodzilla... and then seeing a ''fucking Gundam'' fight Mechagodzilla. And not just any Gundam. The FIRST Gundam, the RX-78-2, which strikes the famous pose of the [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ MSZ-010 ZZ Gundam]] on its way down to the fight.]]

** Samantha acting as if her facial birthmark is a horrible disfigurement that will repulse Wade despite her actress being quite attractive. Moreover, the birthmark is significantly lighter than most real-life, port-wine stains, as well as less obtrusive than the tattoos and facial mods on many OASIS avatars (and it is even similar to those, to the point the viewer might believe it is [[ThisMeansWarpaint warpaint]] some kind of [[PunkPunk punk makeup]] until she explains it).

* Was Halliday a [[GentlemanAndAScholar noble scientist]] who created great things (such as the Oasis) for the benefit of everyone? Or was he more like TheSocialDarwinist, setting up all these tests to ensure only the smartest people could solve them (allowing them to control the Oasis and potentially rule the world.)

* Was Halliday a [[GeniusAndAScholar noble scientist]] who created great things (such as the Oasis) for the benefit of everyone? Or was he more like TheSocialDarwinist, setting up all these tests to ensure only the smartest people could solve them (allowing them to control the Oasis and potentially rule the world.)

** The villain of the book and movie is IOI Corp. Several years down the line, a real life IOI Corp in Malaysia actually came under fire not only for [[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/27/greenpeace-blockades-ioi-palm-oil-refinery-rotterdam-port inhumane treatment of wild animals and destruction of forest areas in Borneo]] to establish new palm oil estates, but also for [[https://www.finnwatch.org/en/news/213-ioi-group-suspected-of-serious-labour-rights-violations violation of human rights]] when it comes to treatment of their employees. [[note]]And oh, the company was founded on money scammed from various people.[[/note]]

** The villain of the book and movie is IOI Corp. Several years down the line, a real life IOI Corp in Malaysia actually came under fire not only for [[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/27/greenpeace-blockades-ioi-palm-oil-refinery-rotterdam-port inhumane treatment of wild animals and destruction of forest areas in Borneo]] to establish new palm oil estates, but also for [[https://www.finnwatch.org/en/news/213-ioi-group-suspected-of-serious-labour-rights-violations violation of human rights]] when it comes to their employees. [[note]]And oh, the company was founded on money scammed from various people.[[/note]]

* HollywoodHomely: Samantha/[=Art3mis=]. She's convinced she's repulsive. In actuality she's a very cute and attractive girl who at the worst barely looks like she spilled some rouge on her face.

** Samantha acts as if her facial birthmark is a horrible disfigurement that will repulse Wade despite her actress being quite attractive. Moreover, the birthmark is significantly lighter than most real-life, port-wine stains making it subtle and less obtrusive than the tattoos and facial mods quite visible on many OASIS avatars.

** IOI's investigation staff being composed of people with stereotypical nerd appearances. Their company uniform being clearly based on the classic poindexter attire doesn't help.

* UnfortunateImplications: ''Wikia Fandom'' blogger Ayo Norman [[http://fandom.wikia.com/articles/ready-player-one-glossing-gender-issues criticizes the film]] for a ''virtual'' RaceLift of the protagonist's in-game best friend Aech. In the book, the avatar Aech is a white male, but the film makes him an orc-like creature. The book made a significant {{reveal}} out of the fact that the person behind the avatar Aech is a black woman, noting that she picked this to avoid sexual and racial harassment on the Internet; Norman also notes the fact that, in-universe, the virtual world of Oasis is an escape from a CrapsackWorld. This reveal loses quite a bit of power in the adaptation.

* InternetBackdraft: Some fans of ''WesternAnimation/TheIronGiant'' were furious at the character being used as a weapon in a violent battle, when the whole point of his own movie is about non-violence. Though this was mitigated somewhat by the revelation that the Giant is only a mech piloted by one of the heroes, the use of his image for this role still came off as disrespectful to many.

* OneSceneWonder: The [[PettingZooPeople anthropomorphic female lynx avatar]] called the "Queen of Cats" seen during the party sequence has gained a following among the furry fandom despite having only 30 seconds of screentime and a few lines.

* NarmCharm: Despite Rylance's stoned performance as Halliday, critics still lauded his performance.