Simulated reality The simulation theory is the hypothesis that reality could be simulated—for example by quantum computer simulation—to a degree indistinguishable from "true" reality. It could contain conscious minds that may or may not know that they live i ...

is a common theme in science fiction. It should not be confused with the theme of virtual reality.

Literature

Theater

* '' Possible Worlds'' (1990) and the 2000

film adaptation A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...

* ''World of Wires'' (2012), directed by Jay Scheib.

Comics and anime

Film

Television

* '' Altered Carbon'', Set in a future where consciousness is digitized and stored, a prisoner returns to life in a new body and must solve a mind-bending murder to win his freedom. * '' Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'', the third arc of the 4th season focuses on the characters trapped within a simulated reality. *'' Arrowverse'' **" Invasion!" a crossover of ''Supergirl'', ''

The Flash The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...

'', ''

Arrow An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...

'' and '' Legends of Tomorrow''. * '' Ascension'' - A Netflix mini-series about 600 people who believe they live on a spaceship halfway to Proxima Centauri, but who are actually trapped in a simulated environment on Earth. * '' Babylon 5'', part of the episode " The Deconstruction of Falling Stars" features a holographic simulation of the Babylon station, including initially faithful reproductions of the key characters, their knowledge and personalities but with the intention to recreate falsified versions for propaganda purposes. * '' Black Mirror'' ** " White Bear" ** "

White Christmas White Christmas most commonly refers to: * White Christmas (weather), snowfall or snow-covered ground on Christmas Day * "White Christmas" (song), a 1942 song written by Irving Berlin White Christmas may also refer to: Film, television, and the ...

" ** " Playtest" ** " San Junipero" ** " USS ''Callister''" ** "

Hang the DJ "Hang the DJ" is the fourth episode of the fourth series of the British anthology series ''Black Mirror''. It was written by series creator Charlie Brooker and directed by Tim Van Patten. The episode first aired on Netflix, along with the rest ...

" * '' Navarasa'' episode " Project Agni" by Karthick Naren * ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

'' episode " The Deadly Assassin" (1976), written by Robert Holmes. *

The Expanse Expanse or The Expanse may refer to: Media and entertainment ''The Expanse'' franchise * ''The Expanse'' (novel series), a series of science fiction novels by James S. A. Corey * ''The Expanse'' (TV series), a television adaptation of the ...

, episodes "

Caliban's war ''Caliban's War'' is a 2012 science fiction novel by James S. A. Corey (pen name of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck). It is about a conflict in the Solar System that involves Earth, Mars, and the Asteroid Belt (colonies of people living on asteroid ...

"(first appearance of 'The investigator' as a simulation in Holden's mind because of the protomolecule) and "Home"(Last appearance of the investigator) * ''

Matrix Matrix most commonly refers to: * ''The Matrix'' (franchise), an American media franchise ** ''The Matrix'', a 1999 science-fiction action film ** "The Matrix", a fictional setting, a virtual reality environment, within ''The Matrix'' (franchis ...

'' computer from the ''Doctor Who'' universe. * ''

'' episodes " Forest of the Dead" and "

Extremis ''Extremis'' is a six-issue story arc from the comic book series ''Iron Man'' (vol. 4), published in issues one through six in 2005 and 2006 by Marvel Comics. It was written by Warren Ellis and illustrated by Adi Granov. ''Extremis'' elevate ...

", written by Steven Moffat and " Amy's Choice", written by

Simon Nye Simon Nye (born 29 July 1958) is an English screenwriter, best known for television comedy. He wrote the hit British sitcom, sitcom ''Men Behaving Badly'', and all of the four ITV Pantos. He co-wrote the 2006 film ''Flushed Away'', created an ad ...

. * ''

Farscape ''Farscape'' is an Australian-American science fiction television series, produced originally for the Nine Network. It premiered in the US on Sci-Fi Channel's SciFi Friday, 19 March 1999, at 8:00 pm EST as their anchor series. The series was c ...

'' episode "

John Quixote '' Farscape'' is a science fiction television show. Four regular seasons were produced, from 1999 to 2003. Each season consists of 22 episodes. Each episode is intended to air in a one-hour television timeslot Broadcast programming is t ...

" (2002) places the lead character in a virtual reality game. * ''

'' (2014) ** "

Duet A duet is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a harmony, as the performers take turns performing a solo ...

" a crossover of ''The Flash'' and ''Supergirl''. * '' Devs'' (2020) * '' Harsh Realm'' (1999) was a science fiction television series about humans trapped inside a virtual reality simulation. It was developed by Chris Carter, creator of '' The X-Files'' and '' Millennium''. * ''

Kiss Me First ''Kiss Me First'' ( it, Prima dammi un bacio) is a 2003 Italian comedy film directed by Ambrogio Lo Giudice. It was entered into the 26th Moscow International Film Festival. It won the Nastro d'Argento for best original song ("Prima dammi un ba ...

'' (2018) * '' Legends of Tomorrow'' (2016) ** "Here I Go Again", an episode from the third season * '' Life on Mars'' (2008-2009), The U.S. TV series * '' The Orville'' episodes " Firestorm", " Ja'loja", " Primal Urges" and " Lasting Impressions". * ''

The Outer Limits ''The Outer Limits'' or ''Outer Limits'' may refer to: Television * ''The Outer Limits'' (1963 TV series), a black-and-white science fiction series that aired from 1963 to 1965 * ''The Outer Limits'' (1995 TV series), a revival of the older series ...

'' episode "

The Sentence ''The Sentence'' is a 2018 American documentary film directed by Rudy Valdez. Synopsis Filmmaker Rudy Valdez shows how his family is impacted when his sister is convicted and sentenced to 15 years in jail. Release Reception The review aggregat ...

" (1996) * '' The Prisoner'' (1967-1968) * ''

Red Dwarf ''Red Dwarf'' is a British science fiction comedy franchise created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, which primarily consists of a television sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999, and on Dave since 2009, gaining a cult following. T ...

'' episodes "

Better Than Life ''Better Than Life'' is a science fiction comedy novel by Grant Naylor, the collective name for Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, co-creators and writers of the '' Red Dwarf'' television series, on which the novel is based. The main plotline was deve ...

", " Back to Reality", " Gunmen of the Apocalypse", "

Stoke Me a Clipper "Stoke Me a Clipper" is the second episode of science fiction sit-com '' Red Dwarf'' Series VII and the 38th in the series run. It was first broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on 24 January 1997, was written by Paul Alexander and D ...

", " Blue", " Beyond a Joke" and " Back in the Red" by

Rob Grant Robert Grant is an English comedy writer, television producer and co-creator of ''Red Dwarf''. Since ''Red Dwarf'', Grant has written two television series, ''The Strangerers'' and '' Dark Ages'', and four solo novels, his most recent being '' F ...

and/or Doug Naylor with Paul Alexander, Kim Fuller and Robert Llewellyn all feature some sort of artificial reality or "total immersion video game". * ''

Solar Opposites ''Solar Opposites'' is an American science-fiction animated sitcom created by Justin Roiland and Mike McMahan for Hulu. Originally created for the Fox Broadcasting Company, the project was shelved before being bought by Hulu and given a two-seaso ...

'' episode Retrace-Your-Step-Alizer (2020) features the Pretend-O-Deck a device capable of simulating realities similar to the '' Holodeck'' found in ''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

''. * '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' ** Episode "

Future Imperfect "Future Imperfect" is the 82nd episode of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation''. It is the eighth episode of the fourth season. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Star ...

" (1990): During an away mission, Commander William Riker loses consciousness; he awakes sixteen years in the future with that period of his memory lost; he is now the new

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

of the ''Enterprise'', is widowed and has a son named Jean-Luc (after Picard); this eventually turns out to be a simulated reality. ** Episode "

The Inner Light ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in En ...

" (1992):

Jean-Luc Picard Jean-Luc Picard is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, most often seen as the captain of the Federation starship . Played by Patrick Stewart, Picard has appeared in the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (''T ...

is rendered unconscious by a probe of unknown origin. Within the span of 25 minutes, he lives the life of a scientist named Kamin from the doomed planet of Kataan whose sun had gone

nova A nova (plural novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", which is Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. Causes of the dramati ...

1000 years before. The probe contains the stored memories of Kataan's civilization which Picard relives as Kamin. ** Episode "

Ship in a Bottle An impossible bottle is a bottle containing an object that does not appear to fit through the bottle's mouth. The ship in a bottle is a traditional and the most iconic type of impossible bottle. Other common objects include fruits, matchboxe ...

" (1993): The fictional

Professor Moriarty Professor James Moriarty is a fictional character and criminal mastermind created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to be a formidable enemy for the author's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. He was created primarily as a device by which Doyle could ...

of Sir

Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Ho ...

's ''

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...

'' stories is allowed to exist in a holodeck simulation of the world. * '' Star Trek: The Original Series'' episodes "

The Cage The Cage may refer to: Sports * West Fourth Street Courts, also known as "The Cage", as of 1978, a public venue for amateur basketball in New York City * Al-Shorta Stadium, 1990-2014, former football stadium of Al-Shorta SC, nicknamed "The Cage ...

" and " The Menagerie", the unaired pilot and later episode (respectively). * '' Star Trek: Voyager'': Several episodes took place in the holodeck, including " Fair Haven", "

Spirit Folk "Spirit Folk" is the 137th episode of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Voyager'' airing on the UPN network. It is the 17th episode of the sixth season. Set in the science fiction universe of ''Star Trek,'' the titular ...

", the two part episode " The Killing Game" and "Projections". * '' Stargate SG-1'' episode " The Gamekeeper" *'' Supergirl'' episode " For the Girl Who Has Everything", based on the Superman story " For the Man Who Has Everything", which was written by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons for ''Superman Annual'' #11 published by DC Comics in 1985. * '' The Twilight Zone'' (1959), and its later revivals, feature a number of episodes involving false or simulated realities of some sort. Examples include " Where Is Everybody?" and "

Dreams for Sale Dreams for Sale may refer to: * "Dreams for Sale" (''The Twilight Zone''), an episode of the television series ''The Twilight Zone'' * ''Dreams for Sale'' (2012 film), a Japanese comedy film {{disambiguation ...

". *''

Upload (TV series) ''Upload'' is an American science fiction comedy-drama television series created by Greg Daniels. The series premiered on May 1, 2020, on Amazon Prime Video and was renewed for a second season. The second season premiered on March 11, 2022; it h ...

'' (2020) Is set in 2033, when humans are able to "upload" themselves into a virtual afterlife of their choosing. When computer programmer Nathan dies prematurely, he is uploaded to the very expensive Lake View, but soon finds himself under the thumb of his possessive, still-living girlfriend Ingrid. *'' The X-Files'' **" Kill Switch" **"

First Person Shooter First-person shooter (FPS) is a video game genre, sub-genre of shooter video games centered on gun and other weapon-based combat in a First person (video games), first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action through the eye ...

" **"

Field Trip A field trip or excursion is a journey by a group of people to a place away from their normal environment. When done for students, as it happens in several school systems, it is also known as school trip in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and ...

" **"

Wetwired "Wetwired" is the twenty-third episode of the third season and the 72nd episode overall of the science fiction television series ''The X-Files''. The episode first aired in the United States on May 10, 1996, on Fox. It was written by the show's v ...

" * '' WandaVision'' (2021), miniseries. * '' Westworld'' (2016-2022) * ''

Wild Palms ''Wild Palms'' is a five-hour miniseries which was produced by Greengrass Productions and first aired in May 1993 on the ABC network in the United States. The sci-fi drama, announced as an "event series", deals with the dangers of politically mo ...

'' (1993), miniseries.

Computer and video games

* ''.hack'' series * '' 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim'' * '' Active Worlds'' * '' AI: The Somnium Files – Nirvana Initiative'' * '' Alternate Reality'' * ''

Assassin's Creed ''Assassin's Creed'' is an open-world, action-adventure, and stealth game franchise published by Ubisoft and developed mainly by its studio Ubisoft Montreal using the game engine Anvil and its more advanced derivatives. Created by Patrice D ...

'' * '' Astral Chain'' * '' Battleborn'' * '' Chrono Trigger'' * ''

Creatures Creature often refers to: * An animal, monster, or Extraterrestrial life, alien Creature or creatures may also refer to: Film and television * Creature (1985 film), ''Creature'' (1985 film), a 1985 science fiction film by William Malone * Creat ...

'' * '' Custom Robo'' * '' Cyberpunk 2077'' * ''

Danganronpa 2 ''Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair'' is a 2012 visual novel developed by Spike Chunsoft. It is the second game in the ''Danganronpa'' franchise following '' Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc'' (2010). It was first released in Japan for PlayStat ...

'' * '' Danganronpa V3'' * ''

Darwinia Darwinia may refer to: * ''Darwinia'' (plant) Rudge 1815, a genus of Myrtaceae found only in Australia *''Darwinia'' Raf., a synonym of the legume genus ''Sesbania'' Adans. * ''Darwinia'' (video game), a 2005 video game by Introversion Software * '' ...

'' * '' Destiny'' * '' Deus Ex'' * ''

Digital Devil Saga ''Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga'' is a duology of role-playing video games developed by Atlus for the PlayStation 2. They are a spin-off of the ''Megami Tensei'' series. The first ''Digital Devil Saga'' was released in Japan in 2004, ...

'' * '' Doki Doki Literature Club'' * '' Enter the Matrix'' * '' Eternal Sonata'' * '' Fallout 3'' * '' Harvester'' * ''

Kingdom Hearts coded ''Kingdom Hearts Coded'' is an episodic video game, episodic Action role-playing game, action role-playing puzzle video game, puzzle video game developed and published by Square Enix, in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios, for mobile ...

'' * ''

Knight Orc ''Knight Orc'' is a text adventure, with limited graphics on some platforms, by Level 9 released in 1987. It comes with a short novella by Peter McBride ("The Sign of the Orc") explaining the background to the story. Plot After a night of hea ...

'' * '' The Matrix: Path of Neo'' * ''

Max Payne ''Max Payne'' is a neo-noir third-person shooter video game series developed by Remedy Entertainment (''Max Payne'' and ''Max Payne 2'') and Rockstar Studios (''Max Payne 3''). The series is named after its protagonist, Max Payne, a New York Ci ...

'' * '' Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty'' * ''

A Mind Forever Voyaging ''A Mind Forever Voyaging'' (''AMFV'') is a 1985 interactive fiction game designed and implemented by Steve Meretzky and published by Infocom. It is Infocom's seventeenth game. The game was intended as a Polemic, polemical critique of Ronald Reag ...

'' * '' No Man's Sky'' * '' Omikron: The Nomad Soul'' * '' Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye'' * '' Persona'' * '' Planescape: Torment'' * '' Prey (2017 video game)'' * ''

Saints Row IV ''Saints Row IV'' is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Volition and published by Deep Silver. It is the sequel to 2011's '' Saints Row: The Third'', the fourth installment of the ''Saints Row'' series, and the final main installment i ...

'' * '' Second Life'' * '' Shadowrun'' * ''

Shin Megami Tensei ''Megami Tensei'', marketed internationally as ''Shin Megami Tensei'' (formerly ''Revelations''), is a Japanese media franchise created by Aya Nishitani, Kouji Okada, Kouji "Cozy" Okada, Ginichiro Suzuki, and Kazunari Suzuki. Primarily developed ...

'' * ''

SOMA Soma may refer to: Businesses and brands * SOMA (architects), a New York–based firm of architects * Soma (company), a company that designs eco-friendly water filtration systems * SOMA Fabrications, a builder of bicycle frames and other bicycle ...

'' * '' Star Ocean: Till the End of Time'' * '' Star Wars: The Old Republic'' * '' The Evil Within'' * ''

The Simpsons Game ''The Simpsons Game'' is a 2007 platform game based on the animated television series ''The Simpsons'' made for the Nintendo DS, Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. The game was published, and distributed by Elec ...

'' * '' The Sims'' * '' The World Ends with You'' * '' Sonic Forces'' (Episode Shadow) * '' There.com'' * '' Thimbleweed Park'' * '' Stellaris'' * ''Ultima'' series * ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' series * ''Xenosaga'' series

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simulated Reality In Fiction Lists of fictional things Lists of fictional locations