In the novel, Cline highlights corporate corruption through the actions of his antagonist, Nolan Sorrento, IOI's Head of Operations. While Halliday was alive, IOI consistently attempted hostile takeovers of GSS (Gregarious Simulation Systems), the company founded by Halliday and Morrow. After Halliday's death, Sorrento hires 5,000 Sixer troops to make up IOI's Oology Division. Unlike average gunters, these troops are subsidized by IOI and have the company's vast resources at their disposal.

Throughout the novel, Sorrento's actions demonstrate that he is willing to resort to underhanded tactics to further his corporate goals. In Wade's dystopian world, powerful corporations like IOI preside over the livelihoods and happiness of millions. This corporate-fueled dystopia is a familiar setting in the cyberpunk genre of science fiction, of which Cline's novel is an example. Cyberpunk dystopias typically comprise a world dominated by futuristic technology and draconian, ultra-powerful corporations. Protagonists in cyberpunk fiction tend to be disillusioned outsiders who rebel against the prevailing corporate framework. Often, they are also skilled hackers who spearhead insurgencies that disrupt the dystopian status quo.

The setting for cyberpunk fiction is dark and malevolent in nature, encompassing daunting levels of violence and structural decay. Cline pays tribute to the cyberpunk genre with mentions of the 1982 neo-noir cyberpunk movie Blade Runner (Chapter 26) and William Gibson's 1984 science fiction novel Neuromancer (Chapter 18). A description of the cyberpunk-themed world Neonoir is also found in Chapter 18. Gibson is significant because he is widely considered the originator of cyberpunk fiction, while neo-noir is a contemporary take on the original film noirs (dark films). Neo-noir often boasts fatalistic themes set against societal collapse and grim climate conditions. Consequently, it is always night on planet Neonoir, and rainy nights are the norm in Blade Runner's futuristic Los Angeles. Blade Runner's Los Angeles and Neuromancer's cities are also dominated by abnormally tall skyscrapers, symbols of corporate power and hegemony.

Freedom is a prized commodity in Wade's world. While the OASIS is accessible to all, the real world is less welcoming. In the OASIS, free speech, commerce, and creative endeavors are protected. In the real world, however, "widespread famine, poverty, and disease" prevail, and world leaders do little to protect the rights of citizens. The average civilian lives in fear and destitution. Ironically, those desperate enough to sell their souls to corporations like IOI end up attaining a measure of security. Wade tells us that indents never earn their release from indenturement because IOI continually levies late fees, arbitrary deductions, and interest penalties on their accounts.

While Wade loathes IOI's unscrupulous tactics, he understands that many indents would rather enslave themselves to a corporate entity than starve or freeze to death in the streets. While indentured, indents have few rights. Their movements are tracked by surveillance cameras, and they must adhere to strict schedules. Meals, bedtime hours, work schedules, and even recreation choices are monitored by computer drones and IOI managers. Meanwhile, indents receive regular meals, but the food is bland and unappetizing. Through indenturement, the destitute can secure their personal safety, but only at the expense of their freedoms. Cline's novel highlights a frightening truth: in exchange for security and shelter, civilians are willing to tolerate open assaults on their personal freedoms.

Privacy is the right of every user in the OASIS virtual world. Certainly, such a world is replete with artifice and deceptions of every nature. While some argue that anonymity promotes frank discourse, it also destroys authenticity. Before he meets her in real life, Wade consistently worries that Art3mis is "some middle-aged...