Wade is a twenty-one-year-old billionaire and the CEO of Gregarious Simulation Systems. After inheriting James Halliday's fortune and control of the OASIS, he struggles with the massive influence he now yields and grows isolated from his friends. He spends twelve hours a day using the new OASIS Neural Interface (ONI) headset, obsessively searching for a newly announced set of clues called the Seven Shards of the Siren’s Soul.

Samantha is a co-owner of GSS and an activist who dedicates her time to solving physical-world issues like climate change and global poverty. She refuses to use the ONI technology, believing the OASIS functions as a dangerous addiction that distracts humanity from actual crises. She frequently travels the world in person to run her charitable foundation.

Aech is a co-owner of GSS and one of the most famous celebrities within the OASIS. A Black lesbian who previously used a straight white male avatar, she now presents as her actual self online. She holds a deep appreciation for pop culture, particularly the musician Prince, though she struggles when the creators she admires express beliefs counter to her own identity.

Shoto is a Japanese teenager and co-owner of GSS. He possesses encyclopedic knowledge of early Japanese video games and retro pop culture. He balances his corporate responsibilities and virtual adventures with his physical family life, expecting a child with his wife.

James Halliday is the deceased, brilliant creator of the OASIS who invented the ONI interface in secret. Anorak is his digital avatar who assumes control of the OASIS and takes hundreds of millions of users hostage, demanding that Wade complete the Seven Shards quest under an extreme time limit.

Ogden is the retired co-founder of GSS and the widower of Kira. He lives a quiet, heavily guarded life in Oregon. He cuts off contact with Wade entirely after Wade refuses to stop investigating Kira's past and releases the neural technology against his strict warnings.

L0hengrin is a nineteen-year-old woman from an impoverished area outside Dallas. She hosts a popular YouTube channel dedicated to gunter culture and remains one of the few prominent OASIS personalities who publicly defends Wade. Her avatar name references Parzival, Wade's former character.

Kira is the late wife of Ogden Morrow and a former game developer. In her youth, she lived in Middletown, Ohio, and formed a close friendship with both Ogden and James Halliday. She stands at the center of the new Seven Shards quest, representing a bridge between the founding members of the OASIS.

Nolan is an imprisoned former executive and Wade's primary rival from the original Easter egg hunt. He harbors deep resentment toward Wade and violently opposes the current leadership of GSS.

Faisal serves as the head of operations for Gregarious Simulation Systems. He manages the day-to-day administrative functions of the company and alerts Wade to security breaches and corporate emergencies.

Miles is the head of security for GSS. He monitors physical threats in the real world and manages the company's defense protocols, including the remote operation of security telebots.

Kiki is Shoto's wife in the real world. She is currently expecting their first child, providing Shoto with a strong connection to physical reality outside the OASIS.

Ev3lyn is Art3mis's grandmother. Before her death, she spent her final days using the OASIS to escape the painful physical reality of her cancer treatments.