BitNodes

A BitNode is an important part of the game's storyline. In the game, you discover what BitNodes are by following the trail of clues left by the mysterious jump3r (essentially a minimal questline).

What is a BitNode
A BitNode is the complex simulated reality in which you reside. By following the messages from jump3r, you discover that humanity was enslaved by an advanced alien race, called the Enders, using virtual simulations that trapped the minds of humans.

However, the Enders didn't just create a single virtual reality to enslave humans, but many different simulations. In other words, there are many different BitNodes that exist. These BitNode are very different from each other.

jump3r tells you that the only hope for humanity is to destroy all of these BitNodes. Therefore, the end goal for the player is to enter and then destroy each BitNode at least once.

Destroying a BitNode resets most of the player's progress but grants the player a powerful second-tier persistent upgrade called a Source-File. Different BitNodes grant different Source-Files.

Each BitNode has unique characteristics that are related to varying backstories. For example, in one BitNode the world is in the middle of a financial catastrophe with a collapsing market. In this BitNode, most forms of income such as working at a company or Hacknet Nodes are significantly less profitable. Servers have less money on them and lowered growth rates, but it is easier to lower their security level using the weaken Netscript function.

Furthermore, some BitNodes introduce new content and mechanics. For example there is one BitNode that grants access to the Netscript Singularity Functions. There is another BitNode in which you can manage a gang to earn money and reputation.

How to destroy a BitNode
The destroy a BitNode, the player must join the Daedalus Faction. From Daedalus the player can obtain an Augmentation called 'The Red Pill', which doesn't cost any money but does require a good amount of faction reputation.

After installing 'The Red Pill', the player must search for and then manually hack a server called 'w0r1d_d43m0n'. This server requires a hacking level of 3000 in order to successfully hack it. This will destroy the player's current BitNode.

When the player destroys a BitNode, most of his/her progress will be reset. This includes things such as Augmentations and RAM upgrades on the home computer. The only things that will persist through destroying BitNodes is:
 * Source-Files
 * Scripts on the home computer