Have you ever watched a tv show and wished you could be part of that world?  Well, if that tv show was the wildly popular anime Sword Art Online, then prepare to be super happy because this is now a thing. IBM Japan announced today a partnership with Namco Bandai to bring about a new VRMMO -- yes they've even coined the term for a new gaming genre. 

Sword Art Online The Beginning has started taking applicants for their alpha test next month. The catch is, you have to be a Tokyo resident to apply. My guess is that they want to make sure that if those 208 players get trapped in the game (which is completely going to happen) they can at least take care of them all in the same hospital while the players virtually climb the citadel to reach the boss on the 100th level so they can set themselves free from their digital prison.

The project uses a a next-generation computing system called the “Cognitive System” that supports human decision-making, as well as “SoftLayer,” IBM’s high performance cloud system that produces the ambiance of a real world.

I am BEYOND excited for this, and now officially have to find a way to get an Occulus Rift between now and whenever this game launches in the US. Please tell me I won't have to move to Japan to play it, because I will, but that might be a little inconvenient considering I don't speak Japanese.