The movie is set in a not-too-distant utopian future where the highest advancements in nanotechnology have allowed technological genius Ken Castle to combine a video game with a reality TV show and model an ultra-functional, multiplayer game of "Assassins" that has become a habitat for local criminals.
John Tillman, sentenced to life in prison for a crime he didn't commit, must participate in the Game to gain his freedom. For one rich young player, John Tillman is Cable, just a sim, a controllable character in the Game. With his fighting ability and physical strength, Cable becomes a national hero and rises to the top of the game.
Every week, millions of people around the world watch him and hundreds of other suicide bombers online as they engage in the game's battles. According to the rebel group that opposes Castle, his game is high-tech slavery and he is the critical element that must be destroyed. Cable/Tillman is caught between two powerful opposing forces that have no interest in him surviving. With every step watched by millions, John Tillman fights to gain his freedom, reclaim his identity, and overthrow the system that imprisoned him.