So ﾐA彡’s niece is the one who introduced me to this anime.

The premise is that you jack in to the server via a direct mind-machine interface. The creator of the game goes insane and makes it so that you can’t log off without dying in real life. Dying in game will also kill you. Basically, the only way out is to kill the final boss.

So apparently IBM is demonstrating their body motion controlled VR system run by Watson (of Jeopardy! fame) using Sword Art Online as the setting.

IBM’s Supercomputer is Controlling a Massive Virtual Reality Game, and They Need Beta Testers • 2016 Feb 25 • Futurism

But it’s not a real game. It’s just a marketing demo.

Sorry, Internet. The ‘Sword Art Online’ VR MMO Isn’t Real • 2016 Feb 25 • Ben Lang • Road to VR