Set in the perhaps-not-so-distant future, Earth is dying. Eden, a new planet capable of sustaining life, has been discovered due to an advancement in technology during a time when conglomerate markets and giant corporations have a hand in what the weather will be like that day, to the sex of your next child. The wealthy and upper middle-class of the world have taken their leave, those left behind succumbing to the perils of an abandoned society. In a bid to extend a hand of mercy--or is it?--those responsible for the dwindling masses on Earth establish a multitude of tasks and televised 'games'. Those who attempt these games wager the ultimate bet... their life. The most popular of these is 'The Run', a do-or-die race to the finish in which contestants must suffer the obstacles of unbearable heat, inedible foliage, tainted water, and a group of specially trained mercenaries.