full series spoilers (including occultic;nine@Archivist the thin of it is
we learn in A;C that the "player" gives pollon the ability to save/load, which based on descriptions from those around him, and himself, is very similar to reading;steiner/time leap, in function, albeit more developed.
we know that all main characters are observed by the "player" via the load regions. and we know that okabe is not a gigalomaniac, and thus his power was not derived from such phenomena, so okabes reading;steiner must be an earlier attempt by the "player" at this lesser developed ability.
full series spoilers (including occultic;nine@Archivist sidenote, i find it fascinating the limbo that occultic;nine lives in lorewise, and how nicola tesla is mentioned to be an observed, which has its foundation in O;C