The Deadliest Game begins with misdirection; it makes Shel seem like the main character, only to drop him. Because the game is the thing in The Deadliest Game, the opening immerses the reader in the game itself, showing the sort of world in which the novel's main characters will have to function. This is important because Sarxos is the most important setting in the novel; little of the action will make sense if the game's setting is confusing. Even so, some knowledge of computers and virtual reality in particular will help in understanding what The Deadliest Game is about.