“I wanted to write a story that was an allegory or fable about modern capitalist society, something that depicts an extreme competition, somewhat like the extreme competition of life. But I wanted it to use the kind of characters we’ve all met in real life,”
spoiler
Everyone dies. The game still goes on for the pleasure of billionaires at the expense of more desperate people. And becuase the guy who won was kinda good-hearted, he ends up with ptsd, survivals guilt, heavily depressed etc.
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The soldiers too. You can be spared the horrors or having to compete at the cost of losing your humanity and becoming a soulless automaton. One step out of line and you're also disposable.