The World of Cyberpunk 2077

 

 

Cyberspace, cyberware and Braindance

In the world of Cyberpunk, the Net is the internet-like telecommunications network and resulting digital sandbox that's been around since 2001. It connects not just computers, but all electronic devices, including appliances, robots and implants. To access it, a modem is required, the sophistication of which can go from a basic screen and keyboard terminal to a faster, more powerful personal cybernetic interface that renders the Net in virtual reality fashion. The latter, a cybermodem, is the kind professionals, so-called netrunners use, in the form of dedicated plugs directly installed in their heads.

Cyberspace becomes the Great Equalizer, where ingenuous citizens may wield just as much if not more power than megacorporations. Thus, the evolving interconnected data structure of The Net is inhabited by a variety of digital entities that interact with each other, from personal avatars to vast representations of computers systems protected by the equivalent of firewalls, to artificial intelligences, conscious digital beings created by design, accident or emerging spontaneously of the Net itself. The global virtual space is segmented into half-a-dozen communicating main regions, each controlled by different countries and corporations.

The presence of corporations in the Net means the interactions aren't always peaceful and mutually beneficial. Digital warfare emerges as an extension of real-life dog-eat-dog competition. In 2016, the Third Corporate War begins and the battlefield is none other than The Net itself. But its fate takes a much more drastic swerve during the 4th Corporate War.

The year the 4th Corporate War ends, The Net is down. Efforts to rebuilt it are carried out largely by government entities and their allies. A more incipient process is underway for major American cities, which, with corporate funding, recreate local self-contained structures, or Citynets. Regardless, by 2077 the global cyberspace is still nowhere near at the level of integration it enjoyed before the crash.

Developed alongside and in conjunction with cyberspace, cyberware represents the ensemble of permanently fixed cybernetic technology that interfaces with the human nervous system. Expensive, once installed, cyberware is generally connected to the local Net and affords the user several advantages that put them ahead or at least on par with the competition. They are bought, installed, repaired, or upgraded in one of many street shops and clinics available throughout most cities, or through Ripperdocs, who come into the picture if you're looking for a particularly cheap deal, or even illegal or military-grade cyberware. On the other hand, bioware, cybernetic anatomical or physiological enhancements, seeks to improve human biological functions through equally biological mean and as such, their installation is usually more complex.

A chief concern with cyberaugmentations, is that they do not come without a cost, notably to the user's mental health. Each new implant can bring the individual closer to cyberpsychosis, a state characterized by a decreased or even lost sense of self as a human being and a perception of others as inferior and disposable. In extreme cases, cyberpsychosis can manifest itself in senseless rampages and, to address the problem, police forces create dedicated specialized departments, called Psycho Squads, or MAX-TACs.

Branching out of The Net, other technologies surface early on, notably Braindance in 2008. The key difference between the two is that Braindance stands apart, is not connected to and does not interact with cyberspace. It starts when one's full cognitive and sensorial experiences, including stimuli one is not even conscious of at the time, are recorded digitally. These recordings can then be played back and directly fed to one's brain through neural transmission, with the help of portable or fixed devices called BD players. Memories and experiences are thus relived with the kind of intensity and realism no previous medium could deliver.

Braindance lends itself to psychotherapeutic uses, but, thanks to the this unrivalled vividness, it quickly becomes one of the most popular forms of entertainment, so much that an entire industry thrives around it, from producers and distributors, to bars which provide the complete service. The poverty-stricken population is particularly susceptible to the escapist or voyeuristic appeal of Braindance and, naturally, the industry delivers the goods. These include staged high-intensity film-like productions, ranging from action packed sequences to pornography, or sneak peeks into the exotic lifestyle of celebrities. A darker side exist, though. Black Braindances, or XBDs, are illegal black-market tapes of acts of extreme violence, like those committed by sadist serial killers. The so-called Flatliners, are Braindances where people were killed with the recording device on. For some users, these extreme braindances seem to have the long-time effects of habituation and dependence associated with hard drugs, to the point that their lives begin to revolve around little else other than braindancing.

Space

Solar system colonisation takes its first baby step in 1991, when European Space Agency launches the first spaceplane. 8 years later, the ESA colonizes the moon and establishes two major cities, Tycho and Copernicus, with 30,000 inhabitants in total. The agency later goes on to build Crystal Palace, a space station which it leases to other nations on a long-term basis, as well as offering shorter-term tourist accommodation for the ultra-rich.

By 2013, the ESA sets up a base on Mars, thanks to the help of its Soviet ally, Sovoil. The American counterpart, NASA, also establishes a permanent settlement there. Soon Kenyan corporation Orbital Air takes over the business of carrying cargo and passengers to-and-fro Earth's orbit, now taken by satellites and inhabited facilities. Across the industry, some of the workers end up living in space in various habitats without ever setting foot on Earth again. Specifically, united by their African ancestry and anti-colonialist sentiments, the highriders of orbital colony O'Neil 2 congregate in a society of their own, which they secede from Earth. To have their independence recognized and accelerate the end to the 4th Corporate War, which has spread into space, the highriders decide to dump copious amounts of lunar rocks on key sites on Earth, inflicting countless casualties. The debris also combines with particles from the Night City holocaust and the effects of conventional explosions to tint the skies vermillion. Thus, the following decade is appropriately dubbed The Time of the Red.

After the 4th Corporate War, the nation of New Africa is formed and becomes a frontrunner in the space race. In fact, most spaceports and space construction sites are in Africa. But the trend is nonetheless global. Space infrastructure has become a basic requirement for economic development, as more and more cutting-edge industries move their facilities to orbit. As such, Orbital Air continues to enjoy success throughout the decades. By 2077 every major functioning city in the world is expected to feature one of their vital space complexes. Night City is no exception.

The United States

After the United States' refusal to join the Eurodollar zone, relations with the European block deteriorate and a small-scale trade war of sorts ensues. Regardless, in the span of just two years, the EEC establishes itself as the global leading economic and military superpower, in contrast with the US, declining in prosperity and influence. To revert the situation, The Gang of Four launch a wide range of covert financial and political operations against the EEC, the most consequential of which is the orchestrated disruption of European and American stocks markets in 1994, which results in the collapse of the world financial system. The operation backfires, as the EEC gets wind and leaks the details to the media. In reaction, most first-world nations impose sanctions and embargoes on the US, which, combined with an untimely energy and environmental crisis, sends the American economy off to a severe depression.

In the aftermath of the crash of 1994, known as The Collapse, the World Bank and World Stock Exchange have been wiped out of existence, which in turn means the internationally isolated US government runs out of sources to finance itself. This happens at a time when federal bonds are being cashed in at such a high rate the printers must keep rolling out money, which sends the dollar plummeting in a seemingly never-ending downward spiral. For the general population, the crisis is not any kinder. On the contrary, economic strife cascades down, amplifies itself and takes over the nation, causing an unprecedented tide of widespread unemployment, bankruptcy, homelessness and rioting. Amidst the crisis, California secedes in 1996, the first of several US regions to declare independence and become Free States.

While the army are brought in early on to keep the streets moderately safe, martial law is only declared after the assassinations of both the President and the Vice-president in 1996 by NSA operatives. The constitution is suspended and in 1998 an interim military government is instated. Right away, it begins to clash with the then all-powerful Gang of Four. Coinciding with a succession of great environmental disasters partly caused by acid rain and climate change, the military rule marks the beginning of the darkest period in American history, for an estimated 100 million citizens die of starvation, street violence or epidemics in a matter of just 15 years. Drought and famine alone depopulate large parts of the Midwest, in many cases pushing the survivors out towards the megacities in either coast. Abandoned small towns offer valuable loot to gangs, whereas large agricultural conglomerates take over the newly available farmland. Naturally, corporations make sure the city centres remain hospitable and attractive for the class of executives and high-tech employees, but the rest of the overcrowded megacities are left to endure the predictable consequences of widespread lawlessness at the hands of competing gangs. To allow the common citizen the kind of protection the state can no longer provide, federal legislation is passed to allow open carry of heavy-duty weapons.

Free States quickly realize their generous welfare programs rely heavily on federal taxes, the absence of which cannot be meaningfully mitigated and spells dire times for the elderly and otherwise dependant. Meanwhile, tensions between the central government and the intelligence agencies reach a peak. In 2003, a second wave of disastrous armed interventions in Central America ends up being the catalyst for the demise of its instigators, the Gang of Four. A portion of its operatives is recruited back by big corporations, which increasingly operate like governments.

During the turmoil, democracy takes a toll. Military rule ends in 2008, but since then only a small fraction of the electorate votes in national elections, so the head of the executive branch, the only fully functioning, ends up being chosen behind the scenes by the elites. Nonetheless, some Free States regularly hold suffrage and referendums. The situation varies greatly from state to state, even from city to city. Despite sporadic democratic rule, in certain urban environments, large corporations have simply taken over after the collapse of local authorities, performing the role without ever answering to anyone. In others, they exercise influence by proxy, promoting and then puppeteering elected officials. In either case, ingenuous citizens attempt to reclaim some of the lost power by using and turning technology back against unchecked companies.

But some citizens also join hands with corporations. This happens when to carry out small-scale operations, corporate executives hire so-called edgerunners, usually highly specialized freelance mercenaries who offer they services for hire through fixers, well-connected middlemen who serve as intermediaries between the two parties. By 2020 a secret database called Edgerunners Inc exists as an alternative, directly connecting corporations and trust-worthy operatives.

At that time, two thirds of the population still live in misery. As if things couldn't get worse, the cataclysm of the 4th Corporate War erupts in 2021 and president Elizabeth Kress uses the opportunity to put an end to the incipient and short-lived experience of national democracy, by declaring a state of emergency. From then on, the Washington-based Federal government exerts tyrannical control over the East Coast, with its reach stopping at the Mississippi river. Westward lies an assortment of Free States and autonomous zones, each duly protected by its own armed forces.

The next decade sees roaming tribes establishing and controlling the highways that connect megacities, whereas highriders take care of some space shipments. Nothing of great political significance changes up until 2069, when freshly elected president Rosalind Meyers seeks to extend federal rule to the Free States, an attempt most but not all reject. The dispute escalates and the president launches the so-called Unification War, that lasts roughly one year and ends with a treaty between the two parties codifying the rights, autonomy and the duties, participation in the federal government, of the Free States, now truly united in one nation.

Night City

The megapolis begins as a vison of Richard Night to build the urban utopia on which all other future American cities can model themselves after. Night has previously gained experience managing construction projects in a jointly owned firm, before starting his own company in 1990, Night International, set up with the explicit goal of erecting Coronado City. Such massive project requires equally big funds and by 1992, Night has attracted corporations like Arasaka, EBM and especially Petrochem to invest, all allured by the prospect of a crime-free city built from the ground up to meet their needs. The latter company is instrumental as it owns a significant portion of Del Coronado Bay and Night himself spends money acquiring some much-needed real-estate there. Despite the 1994 monumental crash, construction proceeds at good pace, thanks in part to his innovative building techniques, which end up excluding competitors, including his former company. Their mob-like reaction is to threaten Night and even try to sabotage the project, but neither tactics manage to stop the ambitious businessman. That finally happens in 1998, when a bullet kills him in his penthouse.

In the years that follow, Night City falls prey to all the conflicting interests that seek to dominate it. Corporations take hold of the center while managing to manipulate the local government and the Mob eventually gains dominance, as corporations willingly cede ground and by 2005 retract to specific areas, leaving behind an almost helpless city council to face the music. Crime rates skyrocket accordingly and equally unsurprisingly, sectarian strife erupts among the various mob factions in what's called the Mob Wars. They unfold up until Arasaka decides to finally put a stop to it all with sheer paramilitary power. A city-wide clean-up follows and Night City quickly returns to some form of normality, which includes displacing much of its homeless population and permanently welcoming corporate forces, which are given a formal mandate to keep the city safe.

The Collapse, the difficult period that followed the 1994 crash, gradually gives birth to Kitsch as the popular visual style in Night City, evident to this day but originally designed as a happy aspirational counter-current against the bleakness of the times. The style elevates form above function, with vibrant clashing colours, illuminated tattoos and an overabundance of chrome.

Up until the 4th Corporate War, the city does flourish, despite not managing to eradicate crime and gang violence, but both of which pale in comparison with the effects of the armed conflict that breaks in 2021. Because armed forces from both sides are around, a war of high intensity and destructive power breaks between Arasaka and Militech corporations. Countless refugees settle in the relatively safe areas of Pacifica and Heywood, while City Center is the stage for the pivotal moment in the war, when in 2023, a pocket nuke one-fourth as powerful as the Hiroshima bomb is deployed by Militech against the Arasaka twin towers. Debris from the explosion starts a series of chain events involving explosions and severe fires that leave the corporate area destroyed and a radioactive hotspot. The attack initially causes half a million casualties and subsequently another a quarter of a million.

Wreckage and nuclear fallout render the city uninhabitable for the survivors, who are thus forced to move out to the suburbs or even farther, to areas previously abandoned during The Collapse. Some two million people become homeless overnight. This low point in Night City's history makes way for Entropism to succeed Kitsch as the prevalent visual style, with the relinquishing of any aesthetic ambitions and adherence to strict functionality to counter the scarcity of resource,

United States president Elizabeth Kress blames the apocalypse on Arasaka themselves, alluding to Scorched Earth tactics. Later, Militech is nationalized. A national crackdown on Arasaka's interests with presidential blessing ends up expelling the corporation out of the US entirely. Federal government isn't much friendlier to Night City itself, in the hopes of bringing the region back under its control, but ultimately fails in that regard.

Without the help of the federal government, the city is rescued by the Badlands clan Aldecados and their alliy StormTech Corporation. As of 2045, megabuildings dot the urban landscape, a firm sign recovery is finally underway. But the economic climate dips abruptly by 2060, forcing corporations to suddenly redraw from Pacifica's development projects midway. Night City turns to the outside world, rekindling their ties with Arasaka. This rapprochement comes in handy during the 2069 Unification War, carried out by US president Rosalind Myers to once and for all bring the Free States back under federal control. At the height of the conflict, US forces surround Night City, leaving councilman Lucius Rhyne no alternative other than to plead Arasaka for help, which comes shortly after in the form of a supercarrier in Coronado Bay. The display of military force is enough to have US siege forces retreating a few hours later. The Unification Treaty that formally ends the war consecrates Night City as a free city-state, independent both from NORCAL and NUSA. Naturally, instrumental ally Arasaka is welcomed back and allowed to rebuild its headquarters right at the fulcrum of the city, Corporate Plaza.