As she booted up her VR headset and logged into the game, her avatar, represented by a determined-looking woman with short, spiky black hair (maxd 08, a nickname she'd chosen for her gaming profile), appeared in a lush, digital park filled with dogs of all breeds. Aya's eyes widened as she received a message from the game's developers: "Welcome to The Dog Game 2 - New Update: 'Paw Trails'!"