For a handful of years around the middle of the 21st century, 2051-2054, the game I will refer to as Meridian 60 was the most popular VRMMO in the world by a wide margin. There were several reasons for this but the key one was probably just timing. I am not authorized to discuss the beta test of the game but it was one of the most exciting gaming experiences of my life both at the time, and then later for different reasons. At the time of the beta test no major company had released a VRMMO to the general public.

Later on I looked back fondly on the beta test because we were in the game almost continuously and the numbers of players was limited to 10000. It took me back to the time when you couldn't look up all the secret info, the best builds, etc. There is something unique about playing a game that hasn't been dissected by the ravening hordes. Each hidden wonder or secret quest or rare class is shocking and fantastic.

Furthermore the game was unspoiled by real world concerns and due to the limited technology at the time there was no sex, consensual or otherwise, no pain, no torture, no gore. There was no real money market whether for unsavory practices or pay to win. Of course the most valuable aspect was that the world was not flooded by teeming millions making your own journey banal and pedestrian. And it didn't hurt that in the lottery created to allow players to test out some of the cooler classes that would normally take too long to get in game, I scored big.

Slight subversion of VRMMO stories

Stat heavy/crunchy

No paying your bills by gaming

No out of game conspiracies

No angst, interpersonal drama, or damsels/dudes in distress

Schedule is 30000 words a day excepting the first chapter, a limitation of RRs fiction submission system

Fantasy, high magic, male lead, no party, guild, or harem

No gore, some profanity, no sexual content, and no current plans for anything traumatic

Major Rewrite of: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/27194/the-beta-test

The chapters should be longer and faster but the progression and plot a bit slower. The original run dove into min-maxing at breakneck speed and made the OP nature of the main character difficult to appreciate. Also some skills are redesigned to avoid mathematical issues.