<p>The game ALfheim Online (ALO), which was the focus of the second half of S1, was developed based on the server and code from Sword Art Online (SAO).</p>
<blockquote>
<p>After Argus went bankrupt due to the Sword Art Online incident, its servers and data were acquired by RECT Progress Inc. and used to create the VRMMORPG ALfheim Online.</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>As ALO is based on the core programming of SAO as a complete virtual reality MMORPG, the ALO system is capable of rendering the entire ALfheim environment with incredible realism, extremely similarly to the level of SAO.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://swordartonline.fandom.com/wiki/ALfheim_Online" rel="noreferrer">ALfheim Online</a></p>
<p>At the end of S1, the so-called <em>Seed</em> was released, which was basically the developer toolkit for SAO, allowing everyone to create their own FullDive games (for example, Gun Gale Online, which was the focus of the first half of S2, or Underworld).</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The Seed is a free, preset series of program packages that can be used for creating Virtual Reality (VR) worlds as well as control the input and output of the five senses of the players, allowing players to FullDive into the created world.</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>«The Seed» includes the basic programs needed to create a VR world, such as the audio and video system, as well as a downsized version of the Cardinal System, which was used in Sword Art Online to help in the development and to maintain control of the game.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://swordartonline.fandom.com/wiki/World_Seed" rel="noreferrer">World Seed</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Is anyone still playing (safe versions of) SAO?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Yes. At the end of S1 they added a copy of Aincrad (the world of SAO) to ALO allowing the players to play through it (creatively named <a href="https://swordartonline.fandom.com/wiki/Aincrad#New_Aincrad_(ALO_Version)" rel="noreferrer">New Aincrad</a>). For example, the  <a href="https://swordartonline.fandom.com/wiki/Mother%27s_Rosario" rel="noreferrer">Mother's Rosario</a> arc takes place in New Aincrad. On a side note, the original SAO itself was theoretically safe to play. The dangerous part was the hardware in form of the <a href="https://swordartonline.fandom.com/wiki/NerveGear" rel="noreferrer">NerveGear</a>. Playing it with the newer <a href="https://swordartonline.fandom.com/wiki/AmuSphere" rel="noreferrer">AmuSphere</a> should be fine, except that you can't log out (but if someone else removes the device, it should work).</p>
<blockquote>
<p>What references are there to SAO s.t. SAO is still 'indirectly' involved in the actual series?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Since, as far as I know, every FullDive game is at least indirectly based on SAO's code, you could say that the original game is still indirectly very relevant to the series.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-20T23:11:05.680Z
Also consider that the *impact* of SAO remains throughout much of the series. For example, the survivors are all grouped into a school together, SAO trauma crops up again and again, and one of the villains in a later season is an SAO survivor who was in one of the PK groups.
Shaymin Gratitude
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-21T04:54:06.053Z
Turamarth thanks! this is so cool. i guess like how hannah baker is still relevant in the later seasons of 13 reasons why even if she's dead. / @ShayminGratitude 'consider that the impact of SAO ' --> yeah ok actually i was thinking that: a psychological aspect. (Turamarth seems to focus on the data / programming / software / hardware aspect.) kinda like the blip in MCU maybe. feel free to post as answer. thanks.
BCLC
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-23T12:40:24.023Z
@ShayminGratitude wait a minute the last part of your comment is a spoiler?
BCLC
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-23T23:35:13.463Z
@BCLC Yes, that's why I tried to be vague.
Shaymin Gratitude
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-20T21:33:56.667Z
2023-01-20T21:33:56.667Z
Turamarth
<p>The 1st half of S1 is about people trapped in a game called SAO. The 2nd half of S1 is not (directly! Haha) to do with SAO. I really forgot S2, but I don't recall any SAO.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Is anyone still playing (safe versions of) SAO?</p>
</li>
<li><p>What references are there to SAO s.t. SAO is still 'indirectly' involved in the actual series?</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>Eg in the 2nd half of S1</p>
<blockquote class="spoiler">
<p> Kayaba Akihiko shows up</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Are there other similar remnants or residues of SAO in the 2nd half of s1 or s2 onwards?</p>

<sword-art-online>
Sword Art Online - Is it still SAO?
# Sword Art Online - Is it still SAO?
Posted by: username_0 on 2023-01-20
The 1st half of S1 is about people trapped in a game called SAO. The 2nd half of S1 is not (directly! Haha) to do with SAO. I really forgot S2, but I don't recall any SAO.

1. Is anyone still playing (safe versions of) SAO?
2. What references are there to SAO s.t. SAO is still 'indirectly' involved in the actual series?

Eg in the 2nd half of S1

> Kayaba Akihiko shows up

Are there other similar remnants or residues of SAO in the 2nd half of s1 or s2 onwards?
**Tags:** sword-art-online
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_1 on 2023-01-20. Score: 7 | Accepted answer
The game ALfheim Online (ALO), which was the focus of the second half of S1, was developed based on the server and code from Sword Art Online (SAO).

> After Argus went bankrupt due to the Sword Art Online incident, its servers and data were acquired by RECT Progress Inc. and used to create the VRMMORPG ALfheim Online.

> As ALO is based on the core programming of SAO as a complete virtual reality MMORPG, the ALO system is capable of rendering the entire ALfheim environment with incredible realism, extremely similarly to the level of SAO.

[ALfheim Online](https://swordartonline.fandom.com/wiki/ALfheim_Online)

At the end of S1, the so-called *Seed* was released, which was basically the developer toolkit for SAO, allowing everyone to create their own FullDive games (for example, Gun Gale Online, which was the focus of the first half of S2, or Underworld).

> The Seed is a free, preset series of program packages that can be used for creating Virtual Reality (VR) worlds as well as control the input and output of the five senses of the players, allowing players to FullDive into the created world.

> «The Seed» includes the basic programs needed to create a VR world, such as the audio and video system, as well as a downsized version of the Cardinal System, which was used in Sword Art Online to help in the development and to maintain control of the game.

[World Seed](https://swordartonline.fandom.com/wiki/World_Seed)

> Is anyone still playing (safe versions of) SAO?

Yes. At the end of S1 they added a copy of Aincrad (the world of SAO) to ALO allowing the players to play through it (creatively named [New Aincrad](https://swordartonline.fandom.com/wiki/Aincrad#New_Aincrad_(ALO_Version))). For example, the [Mother's Rosario](https://swordartonline.fandom.com/wiki/Mother%27s_Rosario) arc takes place in New Aincrad. On a side note, the original SAO itself was theoretically safe to play. The dangerous part was the hardware in form of the [NerveGear](https://swordartonline.fandom.com/wiki/NerveGear). Playing it with the newer [AmuSphere](https://swordartonline.fandom.com/wiki/AmuSphere) should be fine, except that you can't log out (but if someone else removes the device, it should work).

> What references are there to SAO s.t. SAO is still 'indirectly' involved in the actual series?

Since, as far as I know, every FullDive game is at least indirectly based on SAO's code, you could say that the original game is still indirectly very relevant to the series.
> **Comments:**
> **username_2** (2023-01-20): Also consider that the *impact* of SAO remains throughout much of the series. For example, the survivors are all grouped into a school together, SAO trauma crops up again and again, and one of the villains in a later season is an SAO survivor who was in one of the PK groups.  
> **username_0** (2023-01-21): Turamarth thanks! this is so cool. i guess like how hannah baker is still relevant in the later seasons of 13 reasons why even if she's dead. / @ShayminGratitude 'consider that the impact of SAO ' --> yeah ok actually i was thinking that: a psychological aspect. (Turamarth seems to focus on the data / programming / software / hardware aspect.) kinda like the blip in MCU maybe. feel free to post as answer. thanks.  
> **username_0** (2023-01-23): @ShayminGratitude wait a minute the last part of your comment is a spoiler?  
> **username_2** (2023-01-23): @BCLC Yes, that's why I tried to be vague.  
---
