He was what you'd call a diehard 3DO fan.
Back then, he had spent six hundred US dollars on the machine, firmly believing in the interactive multimedia future Hawkins had described.
Over the past few years, aside from a handful of scattered full-motion video games, the machine had spent most of its time serving as an expensive CD player.
Meridian 59 was his last hope.
The television screen flickered, and the game title appeared.
Kevin picked up the controller and, following the steps in the manual, plugged the telephone line into the network module on the back of the console.
The dial tone sounded. After a burst of piercing electronic static, the connection succeeded.
On the registration screen, he entered his credit card number and agreed to the monthly 9.99 US dollar billing agreement.
He entered the game.
A first-person perspective, rough polygonal modeling.
Several players in medieval armor were running around the square.
Kevin moved his character two steps forward.
The latency was rather high, and the image had a slight tearing sensation.
Still, being able to see real, living players on a television screen filled a little of the emptiness of waiting.
His roommate pushed the door open and came in, holding several pieces of mail he had just taken from the mailbox and the latest issue of Computer Gaming World.
"Your magazine." His roommate tossed the magazine onto the coffee table. "And while I'm at it, I've got some bad news for you."
Kevin stared at the NPC dialogue box on the screen. "What? The landlord's raising the rent?"
"Worse than that." His roommate pointed at the magazine cover. "The father of that precious machine of yours sold it off."
Kevin's hands froze on the controller.
He picked up the magazine.
On the cover, a black-and-white bust