Six things you may not have known about Cyberpunk 2077

William Davis Published 21/04/2022

Cyberpunk 2077 is on an upswing after its notoriously poor launch. The game has received significant updates on consoles, making it run the way CD Projekt Red fans were expecting.

What Night City is based on

Numerous origin stories have been told regarding the naming of Night City, which was originally coined in the Cyberpunk tabletop board game. Night City is likely inspired by William Gibson’s 1984 novel “Neuromancer,” which coined the expressions Cyberpunk and Cyberspace. “Night City” appears in some of his novels, making it the likely inspiration for the naming of CD Projekt Red’s city.

Inspiration from Akira, Ghost in the Shell, and Blade Runner

Cyberpunk 2077 draws inspiration from many of the most popular cyberpunk movies and books. The look and feel of Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City is heavily rooted in the Blade Runner film. That said, Japanese cyberpunk also gets prominently referenced. You can actually locate the Yaiba Kusanagi CT-3X motorcycle in the game, which has the look of Kaneda’s bike in Akira and shares a name with the heroine of Ghost in the Shell, Makoto Kusanagi.

Night City lost nearly 30% of its population because of an unspecified incident in 2076

Something strange happened in Night City in 2076. About 30% of the city’s population disappeared with little explanation about what happened. No references are made of any sort of plague or disaster that killed millions. There are references to a major political upheaval surrounding Night City that could have led to an exodus. Either way, this is one of the game’s biggest mysteries.

Real city planners were employed to map out Night City

Night City is a fantastical environment, but it’s mapped out in a realistic way. CD Projekt Red employed real-life city planners to ensure Night City had an organic layout and feel. Though Cyberpunk 2077 is largely remembered for its disastrous removal from the PlayStation Store due to serious performance issues, the game was meticulously crafted in many ways.

Antarctica had its first-ever human settlement created in 2067

Night City is part of an entire world and the world has advanced in many ways. While Antarctica is inhospitable, Cyberpunk’s universe saw it become settled by humanity in 2067. Human survival in Antarctica isn’t heavily delved into. The fact that this is a known fact at all speaks to the relative depth of Cyberpunk’s lore.

Sharks are extinct in Cyberpunk 2077

Sharks are an important part of the ocean’s ecosystem, but they’re extinct by 2077 in the Cyberpunk universe. Much in real life, society here gives little attention to sustainability and has exploited its resources without considering the possible negative impact on flora and fauna. It reminds us that unsupervised and unrestricted corporate expansion will have severe consequences for the planet.

These and other issues speak to the dangers and security concerns faced in the high-tech world of Cyberpunk 2077. If you have your own concerns over privacy and security on the internet, a VPN allows you to hide your IP, allowing you to play games without the fear of a DDoS attack. Installing a VPN can even allow you to play games restricted games in your area.

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