Night City RPG

The Eurotheatre had been hurt by the Fourth Corporate War and the subsequent loss of its ESA and Orbital colonies to the Highriders. The World Stock Exchange and the Common Market managed to maintain a stable economy in which most of the European nations participated, with the exceptions of Italy, Spain and Greece, which all ended up suffering violent, chronic political upheavals. The international Corporations still had a great deal of power, however with the War many of the European nations kept the Euro business barons under control.

Great Britain, however, suffered major economic trouble massive amounts of immigration and an antiquated technological base, its streets were almost as explosively dangerous as that of the United States. The time of rebuilding hit Europe hard, as individual nations struggled to repair the damaged financial and industrial hubs affected by the War.
2077

By 2077, the Netherlands and Belgium fell victim to widespread coastal flooding caused by rising sea levels. Refugees from the two countries tried to seek shelter in Scandinavia by boat, but were refused entry. The Swedish Navy sank some refugee boats to pressure the rest to turn back.

That same year, Switzerland announced it had automated 90% of its military with the exception of its officer corps. The government planned to phase out the officer corps and reach 100% automation by 2080, fulfilling the country's dream of achieving true neutrality, as an automated military could be programmed to only defend the Swiss border and never act with aggression toward neighboring countries

In 1992, the European Economic Community was established with a common currency called the Eurodollar, whose stability lead to it becoming the official currency in several non-European nations. Zones of Control and protective tariffs were established by the EEC as a means of regulating and administrating the activities of member nations. The regulated activities of the member nations included those of France, Germany, Britain, Japan, and Italy.[5] The US, however, was refused entry because of isolationist and protectionist policies of the ruling Gang of Four making it the only superpower at the time to not join.[1][2]

The core nations of the EEC decided against the resistance of the other European nations, to bring the EEC into existence. A period of economic turbulence followed in Europe, especially in France and Great Britain. This resulted in labor uprisings and general rioting.

Not till long, the EEC exposed the manipulation and uses of sabotage the US was attempting in Europe to undermine their power. This led to the Crash of '94 and the Collapse of the United States.

In years to follow, Japan, as a growing superpower, saw corporate greed turn its government corrupt as internal powers fought against each other for control. Ten years manipulation and mutual sabotage led to Japan being removed from the EEC in 2015. The New Yen currency was established to counter the Eurodollar (exchange rate is 200 Yen for 1 E-buck). The Yen War began in Europe, with Germany aiming to limit international corporations in Europe.[5]

In 2016, the EEC council approved on the construction of a tunnel between Europe and Northern Africa. The chosen route was the Strait of Gibraltar, giving the ECC full control over the area. Construction started in 2017 and was finished in 2020.[4]
2045

The EEC has fairly solid relationship with most of the world. Relations with the newly-reformed USSR have improved greatly since the Cold War Era, though much of that relationship is primarily the EEC taking advantage of Eastern European countries for their cheap labor and land. The EEC's relations with North and South America are considerably more sensitive, as Canada is the only country in the region with whom they are on good terms. Mexico is seen as a country prone to constant and violent political swings, and is much less stable than Canada. The NUSA is on extremely tense terms with the EEC, ever since the Gang of Four waged a propaganda campaign against Europe during the conflicts of the 1990s, in which they used jealousy of the better conditions in Europe to give US citizens someone other than their own government to blame for their misery. When it comes to Asia, the EEC has a normal competitive relationship with the various countries, although Japan remains a big rival of the EEC and has been known to fight against some of its member countries, such as with Germany during the Yen War of 2015. While the EEC attempted to limit the spread of international megacorporations in Europe, Arasaka Europe, a subsidiary of Arasaka, was nevertheless able to thrive in the European market, as were several other Japanese and Korean corporations.

The European Council

Headquartered in the Benelux region of Brussels, the European Economic Community guarantees that all member states have a representative count directly proportional to their economic wealth; each nation is granted one council member for every hundred million eurodollars in wealth. Unsurprisingly, this causes a significant power disparity in the organization, as it means poorer states who cannot provide the funds for more councilors are left with far less influence over the organization than countries like France, Germany, or Benelux who hold the most wealth in the EEC, and therefore exert the most influence over the European Council.[4] Elections for councilors are held every four years in November.

From 2018 to 2022, the Council consisted of 536 members who had the ultimate decision-making power in Europe. Within the council there are also grades of power. The Speaker is effectively in charge of the Euro Council, with last word on all major debates and issues, while also deciding who will speak and when they will speak. The Assistant Speaker has the power of the Speaker in the former's absence. Both the Speaker and the Assistant Speaker are selected by a majority vote from the other members of the Council. The leaders of the various unofficial voting groups exercise considerable power. Each group has senior members, as well as what are known as Sprinters who are usually younger members.

EEC Governmental Structure 2020ESP

Each European country has its own elections, with the lone exception of the United Kingdom (which remained under martial law). These elections are held for control over local governments, each of whom in turn send representatives to the EEC. The politicians selected during these elections ultimately handle issues local to their specific country, mainly how to spend their chunk of the EEC tax money. They are held responsible for the smooth running of local, day-to-day operations and the control of public services, but this does not always prove easy. Oftentimes, many of these services are outsourced, and provided by contracted companies. Finally, the local politicians are responsible for forwarding requests to the EEC for grants and funding.[4]

The national governments of a European country are responsible for the taxation and policies that are not covered by the EEC's directives. Many National Governments also work hard to push their projects to the EC, in an attempt to attract major developments and contracts in their country.

Additionally, even though it is not geographically part of Europe, Japan was known to take part in this system of elections for more than twenty years, until it was ultimately kicked out of the EEC.

The European Economic Community (EEC), also known as the European Economic Area, the European Community (EC), United Europe, the European Union (EU) or simply the Eurotheatre, is a trans-governmental political and economic organization consisting of several major European powers. Though "European" in name, the EEC also welcomed the possible membership of any countries beyond the European continent; especially those were considered to have global influence. However, the only such superpower that ultimately accepted this offer was Japan, as the United States was still trapped in its own deeply paranoid sense of isolationism at the time, and thus declined the offer.
Overview

The membership of the European Economic Community encompass all of Western Europe, with the the major players being France, Benelux, and Germany. As is seemingly-universal in the world, money plays a substantial role in how the organization conducts its operations. Specifically, the overall wealth of a country determines the level of influence its representatives have in the EEC's Euro Council. The bigger the country's economy, the greater the influence. At the center of its operations is the EuroBank, one of the largest and most powerful banks in the world, which much of the EEC's economy depends on, as well as the economies of other places around the world. The EEC is also responsible for the Euro Space Agency (or ESA), the world's largest and most advanced space-faring organization.
Government

Restlessness (2077)

By 2077, relations between the NUSA and the Free States had only deteriorated. Following suicide bombings on NUSA bases in New Mexico and Oklahoma, President Myers openly blamed the Republic of Texas (which did not sign the treaty and remained independent) and ordered retaliatory bombings on airports in the Texan cities of Wellington and El Paso. Both sides expressed a desire to avoid conflict, but bookies put the odds on a border war breaking out in the near future at 3-to-1.[5]

Within Alaska, corn harvests had dropped by 80% from the last year's yield. Local authorities were obligated to provide nearly 80 million bushels of their crop to Biotechnica.

Arasaka was now able to function within the NUSA once again, however its influence still only stretched to the Free States and Night City. The NUSA was under the control of President Myers, former CEO of Militech. It was common knowledge the NUS was Militech's largest customer and with it, the corporation became very powerful holding much control over the country. Many Americans were against the idea of Myers being re-elected, in fear of having a country that would only serve their suppliers.

The Western Corporate States (WSC) revealed a new Visa program for people who planned to relocate would first need to find a sponsor from among WCS-sponsored companies. Following a twenty year long employment period within WCS, Visa-holders could then earn the right to permanent residence, marriage license, and single-child permits.

In Detroit, the city reached new economic height after decades of decay. The city's numerous landfills, abandoned buildings, and industrial zones had become rich in resources that were highly valued in the economy of 2070s. Thousands of migrants began relocating to Detroit in search of old technology manufactured from around the turn of the century. This was in spite of the hazardous conditions and gang violence within the city limits.

Time of the Red (2025 – 2040s)

The United States had lost its superpower status. Functionally it became a dictatorship run by President Elizabeth Kress, an ex-president of Militech, and had been so since her State of Emergency during the Fourth Corporate War. Though local elections later resumed, there were no national elections and there wouldn't be until there was a treaty between the Free States and what remained of the New United States.[8]

The military was now organized into Combined Operations Groups (COGs); which were task forces combining aircraft, ships, infantry, and armor. Whose main mission was to deal with threats to the interests of the federal government and to the BosWash Corridor (Boston–Washington). Several of the COGS had broken away and have became mercenary armies, operating as well-armed marauding raiders, or running their own mini-kingdoms.

The New United States of the mid 21st century was similar to what it was in the late 19th century. The federal government based in Washington, D.C. controlled the "civilized" East Coast. Operating as the regional government for the BosWash Corridor. The federal government still consisted of the same three branches (executive, judicial, and legislative) but it had little to no power past the Mississippi River, and nearly all of its members came from either the East or the Midwest.

West of the Mississippi River was the "Wild West" and running from Seattle to Mexico is an unincorporated West Coast. These territories were for all intents and purposes on their own, hiring mercenary armies or local militias to keep the peace. An interlocking system of power blocs and local factions maintained the Night City sprawl.

On the West Coast is the Pacifica Confederation, a loose union formed by Northern California, British Colombia, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Within their territory were several major US military bases with permanent leases, but which exercised little control over the locals. The Pacifica Confed was busy rebuilding its infrastructure. Night City had been able to survive as a free "city state" due to the alliance, functioning as a free trade zone for them.[8]
The New Constitution and Following Years (2050s - 2060s)

On July 4 2053, the NUSA constitution was ratified, marking the official beginning of the New United States of America. Elizabeth Kress stepped down after 34 years as President, leaving her post to an interim government in preparation for the new elections.[4] Kress had been reelected a total of nine times during her long career,[9] prior to finally leaving the post to her successor, David Whindam, who became the first president of the New United States of America. Similar to Whindam, his successor was a woman of corporate background.[10]

In 2065, Rosalind Myers became the third President in the NUSA's short history, and the second woman to hold this position. She began her term with the proposition of reunifying all the states, an old ambition for the federalists. This idea would eventually come to fruition after her reelection in 2069.[4]
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The Unification War (2069 – 2070)

Main article: Unification War

The Unification War, sometimes referred to as the Metal War(s), was an armed conflict between the New United States of America (NUSA) and an alliance of seceded states known as the Free States. The war started in January 2069 and ended in June 2070. The re-elected NUSA President, Rosalind Myers, presented a unification program to extend federal rule over the rogue Free States under the pretense of strengthening the nation. Most of the independent states opposed unification. Councilman Lucius Rhyne was worried the conflict would soon reach Night City, and through his contacts and connections pleaded for the Arasaka Corporation to return and protect them from the invasion. At the dawn of an impending invasion of Night City, Arasaka arrived in time with a supercarrier in Coronado Bay forcing the NUSA and Militech troops to retreat.

Following Arasaka's intervention, the NUSA and the Free States signed a treaty known as the Treaty of Unification in Arvin, South California, ending the Unification War. The treaty ensured the Free States would remain autonomous but would have to participate in the new federal government and hostilities among themselves would have to cease. President Myers agreed to this treaty because she feared Arasaka's increasing involvement could escalate the conflict into one the New United States could not afford. Both sides claimed victory; the Free States preserved their independence and the NUSA believed they were closer than ever to the reunification of America.

Although the Unification War was officially ended, leading AI analytics software predicts another "hot war" will likely to break out by 2080 with a 74% confidence rate.

Early 2020s and the Fourth Corporate War

Life in America during martial law was one of the bloodiest periods in human history. Over 100 million Americans died in only fifteen years. The Vietnam War only cost 3,000,000 lives, and that took over thirty years. Americans died from violence, pestilence and starvation. Most of those deaths could have been avoided, had the states cooperated with each other.

The country still had sufficient resources to feed itself, though not in the style to which it was accustomed. The individual states, scared and foolishly confident due to their new military strength, hoarded their own resources. Strict border policy and huge tariffs all led to disaster. Other problems made things even worse.

Many states were home to large numbers of nonproductive citizens at the beginning of the Collapse. Florida and New York were two of the worst hit. The welfare system quickly reached a state of attrition. States that instituted stringent controls in the beginning, like California, Texas, Utah and Nevada were much more prepared to deal with an extended crisis. But many states simply tried to bury their heads in the sand. Many felt the crisis would end quickly; it did not. Although many other states soon instituted systems similar to the standard NorCal Citizen Identification process by 1998, it was far too late. By the year 2000 over 150,000,000 were disenfranchised. Probably 75% of these died.[3]

The U.S. was not idle during the Shadow War; when the EEC attempted to subvert Colombia, the U.S. answered with covert warfare of its own. The Colombian conflict came out favorably, although the FIA lost more men than it had anticipated.[7]

The U.S. and the Free States were deeply caught in the economic consequences of the Hot War. Only Texas was free from Militech's pervasive economic impact, and even the Texans got most of their military arms and equipment from Militech. This, and sizable bribes, had made these governments reluctant to move.[7]

However, the war's chaos became ever more difficult to ignore. When Los Angeles, Chicago, and Night City were burning, and the sound of automatic weapons fire was coming back to the District of Columbia, state and federal governments needed to respond. To this end, National and State Guard units were on alert across the nation. Regular military units were also on standby alert; the USAF had put their assets on standby, and featured a daily delta sweep patrol through LEO during the western hemisphere's daytime hours. Hawaii and other U.S. possessions were now firmly under martial law; anyone caught with weapons would be imprisoned, and those who tried to resist were killed for the duration of the war. Corporate immunity was suspended. and at the time it was rumored that the US was considering the European method, where the country would seize and shore up the domestic assets of both corporations if needed.[7]

In the fall of 2022, the governments of Southern California and Republic of Texas both nationalized all Arasaka and Militech facilities within their borders. Days after, the EEC declared that if hostilities within their borders did not cease, they would do the same. When a Militech showroom in Italy was invaded, the EEC carried out its threat and began nationalizing all Arasaka and Militech facilities in Europe. Both megacorps protested and suggested the attack was a false flag operation designed to give the EEC the excuse they needed to seize their assets.[3]

Emboldened by the actions of the EEC, Japan also attempted to nationalize Arasaka within its borders. Prime Minister Jirou Kikuchi made an attempt to seize control of Arasaka, but Saburo used his influence keep the PM's hands out of the company. Yorinobu Arasaka, the rebel son of Saburo, played a role in supplying info to the Government of Japan which helped their nationalization of Arasaka's assets.[3]

All that was left was the conflict in Night City between Arasaka and Militech. Kei Arasaka, son of Saburo, remained in Night City and was cut off from their assets from across the globe. Much of Arasaka's forces relocated to Night City, as the war persisted. Tensions broke in the summer of 2023. By then, a number of prominent national figures in the US had been murdered while connected to the Net. Arasaka had used targeted assassinations via Soulkiller to effect policy change. Militech retreated from the city and considered it a lost cause, and devised another plan to destroy Arasaka.[3]

At the same time, Night City was being surrounded by forces from North California sent by Governor Denise De La Vega. US President Elizabeth Kress had convinced him to let her send an additional division of elite special forces and air mobile troops from the U.S. Army as well as from Militech, all gathering on the highlands outside of the city and led by US General Patrick Eddington.

Arasaka was not exactly bargaining from a position of weakness, as any attack on the city would inflict massive civilian casualties and large amounts of property damage on a city that North California relied upon for a large portion of their taxes. Furthermore, there were rumors that Arasaka was planning to utilize the Soulkiller program against the population and surrounding military forces if a truce was not agreed upon. At the same time, the DataKrash was making struggles with the Net, and two major Militech shareholders and one US senator were in vegetative state after connecting to it. Some people blamed the virus destroying the Net, but many others thought it was Soulkiller.

On August 20, 2023, a small nuclear device was detonated somewhere in the Arasaka Towers by a strike team led by Morgan Blackhand, killing 12,000 employees of the corporation. The explosion destroyed the building. Debris from Arasaka Tower crashed into nearby structures, setting off a series of chain reactions, gas line explosions, transformer explosions, and intense fires. By the end, the Corporate Center of Night City was a radioactive hot zone.[3]

With Arasaka's local assets under the control of the Japanese government, the United States moved to end the global conflict. President Elizabeth Kress, the ex-Militech president, reactivated the commission of Militech CEO Donald Lundee to work with the government. Under Lundee's command, Militech forces ceased all active offensive operations, a decision Lundee was not happy with. With Arasaka assets in Japanese territory also nationalized, the global war was effectively over. However, there were still Arasaka facilities and operatives in the Western hemisphere. President Kress wanted to completely remove Arasaka from North America for her own personal goals, as well for the benefit Militech.[3]

In 2023, the last known pocket of Arasaka resistance was cleaned out of the US and the hot war was over. The US, under President Kress, engaged in a massive PR campaign to place the blame for the Night City Holocaust on Arasaka. The official story held that Arasaka had kept a fail-safe nuclear device in the Tower and had detonated it when it was clear they couldn't win against superior Militech forces. She then promised to restore the country to create a new United States.[3]

By 2025 Militech and the national armies of the US finally quelled all the pockets of fighting across the country and the Fourth Corporate War was declared as officially over.[

2009 - 2010s

In 2009, an abortive takeover attempt by U.S.-backed terrorists of the Crystal Palace space station is detected and thwarted by the ESA after it drops another orbital rock off the coast of Washington as a warning.[2]

The Second Central American War ends in 2010, leaving countless soldiers to make the trek home from Panama by themselves and are vilified by the media.[1]

During this time individual states began to break away from the main body of the country. Local state governments were fed up with the ineffectual and dictatorial actions of the bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. as well as the exposed machinations of the Gang of Four. The first was California, north and later south, then Texas, Oregon, Washington and then North and South Dakota. These new "Free States" set their own laws, trade arrangements, and no longer sent their collected taxes back to Washington, D.C.[3]

During the massive confusion in the embattled capital, many of the Free States took the opportunity to secede, leading to a massive upsurge in states' rights as a whole. Since most of the states in the Union needed military force to put down rioting and Nomad violence, they simply "nationalized" the military reserve elements in addition to all Guard elements, which were under the local governor's command anyway.

These state armies were willing to cooperate with the military government in terms of law enforcement and other military action, so long as the issue concerned the state in question directly. This remains true to the present day. These states of the former United States quickly realized that without the federal government they were alone. In the wake of the collapse, the states were unable to cope without the massive support that a federal tax base granted them. Without the support, chaos reigned. Think for a minute about pre-collapse America. Almost thirty percent of citizens were receiving some sort of federal assistance when all social programs stopped: Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Welfare, Unemployment, Social Security, Subsidies, Price Controls, everything. Consider the devastation. That was only a fraction of the damage done to America in the Collapse. Quite simply, everything that we understood about how society works no longer applied. 100 million were dead, and no fewer than 25-50 million were disenfranchised, homeless nomads—or worse (i.e., boosters) by the year 2000.

Collapse of the New Millennium

Fear of Y2K lead to the formation of Millennium Cults, resulting in mass orgies of suicide and violence on Jan 1, 2000. Later that year, massive firestorms raged over the northwestern United States, destroying millions of acres of farm and grassland.[2] Simultaneously, the Wasting Plague swept North America and Europe, killing an estimated 14 million people before a vaccine was finally created in Japan.[1] 2001 saw the creation of WorldSat and the Net, radically altering global communication, business and culture for decades to come.[2]

During the 2000s, the Arasaka Corporation, the large Japanese conglomerate, was buying out many small bankrupting companies as well as offering thousands of Americans jobs within the United States. Arasaka invested heavily into its American branch, and was also one of the leading Megacorps to invest into Richard Night's dream of the perfect city. Saburo Arasaka became known as a man of the people, someone who stood up for the American people when the government failed them. Many factories and American cities were visited by Saburo himself to congratulate and meet with the American public, helping them gain a sense of former prosperity.[6]

In 2002, the Food Crash erupted and mutated plant viruses wiped out Canadian and Neo-Soviet crops. U.S. agribusiness crops survive due to new biological counter agent.[3]

By 2003, the Second Central American War began and quickly devolved into a complete disaster for the United States, resulting in major reform and the ouster of the Gang of Four in an Army/CIA counter-coup.[1] Washington D.C. was encircled by military troops fighting remnants of the Gang. However, elements of the Gang were not fully eliminated until four years afterwards, although by that point large parts of the Gang had already sold out to the corporations.[1]

Efforts at restoring democratic rule were halted when on November 5, 2005, presidential appointee Henry Jacobi was assassinated. Evidence strongly pointed to Mantoga, Inc. involvement and instigation. On November 17, 2005, the corporation was given four hours to completely leave the United States, and was ultimately destroyed by the United States military in Operation Big Stick after they refused. The event later came to be known as the Mantoga Incident.[1]

In 2008 The United States government undergoes a period of reform. Martial law is lifted once again, and free elections occur.

The USSR accused the United States of biological warfare. This, coupled with the continuation of the "Evil Empire" policies of the Cold War ultimately lead to the U.S. assault on the Soviet weapons platform MIR XIII in 2008. The European Space Agency intervened resulting in a six-hour orbital war between the "Euros" and the "Yanks." Colorado Springs is destroyed when a rock from the Tycho Massdriver lands on the city; ultimately resulting in the establishment of an uneasy peace

1994-2000

The streets of many cities across the United States were covertly regulated by many federal forces, such as the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS), the Federal Prison system, and paramilitary services secretly provided by several Megacorporations. Unidentifiable due to their lack of uniforms or badges, they contributed heavily to the thought that the United States government had turned into a gang of thugs, causing local governments and their allies to protest, then resist federal invasions with counterattacks that caused State Militias and National Guard details to face the paramilitary groups. The imposed Martial Law would frequently be interrupted due to other major events in the following years.[3]

As the conflicts between the states and Washington escalated, more and more states began to consider leaving the Union. The process began with places like New York and Texas, which refused to pay taxes to Washington as part of economic strikes. The rebellion then took the form of economic blockades, with the states, protesting against the federal government, blocking the two-way flow of goods at their borders. The impasse was violently broken when a paramilitary police unit–subordinate to Gang of Four–without flinching, took control of San Francisco, leading to a regular battle in the streets between residents and federal forces. The governor called on the National Guard for help, which sided with the city in the dispute. In response, paramilitary forces, operating under the auspices of the federal government, tried to capture the state capital, Sacramento. California then announced that the Washington administration henceforth no longer had authority over the state, and officially withdrew from the Union.[3]

The United States Armed Forces, which had long regretted supporting the actions of the Gang of Four, refused to participate in the Wars of Succession, even as California authorities blew up the passes connecting the state with northern Nevada and Arizona. At this stage, more states rejected the supremacy of the federal authorities and declared themselves "Free States." The armed forces, having come to their senses, refused the order of taking back the country given by the Gang of Four, causing the Free States to remain free.[3]

The 1997 Mideast Meltdown reduced the world's oil supply by half; causing prices to skyrocket in the United States. A year later, Neo-Luddites bombed airports, factories, freeways, and mass transit terminals across the nation. The Drought of '98 reduced the Midwest to parched grasslands, imperiling the United States food supply and ending the family farm. This same year, an earthquake hit Los Angeles with a strength of 10,5 on the scale of Richter, causing over 65,000 deaths and causes the Pacific Ocean to flood approximately 35% of the city.[2][3]

By 1998, the Arasaka Corporation made its way in construction of regional offices and providing more jobs for Americans.

1994-2000

The World Stock Market Crash of '94 sent the United States into a major depression. Within two years, the United States was overwhelmed by homelessness, unemployment, and corruption. Many city governments declared bankruptcy or collapsed. Controlled by the machinations of the Gang of Four—a powerful lobby comprised of the United States intelligence community and wealthy industrialists—the country descended into chaos. By this point, one in four Americans were homeless, and hundreds of thousands rioted. Nomads appeared on the West Coast and soon spread across the nation, along with the first appearance of boostergangs. Fed up with government inability to solve the crisis, citizens lynched hundreds of criminal defense attorneys.[2] Military units were deployed on the streets to keep the peace.[1]

During this time, Richard Night founded company known as Night International, and began to plan an ideal new city — an environment that would be controlled and would be ultimately safe from the ravages tearing the world apart. He founded the urban community, Coronado City, in Del Coronado Bay, California.[citation needed]

On August 17, 1996, President James Richard Allen was assassinated during a campaign stop in California. Vice President Harold Harrison Hunt subsequently became the next President of the United States, gaining free reign to advance the plans of the Gang of Four.[3]

The Collapse left millions of citizens homeless and caused any government outside of Washington, D.C. to decimate. The United States Military Forces were ordered to return to home soil to maintain order during this chaotic time and establish Martial Law. The Martial Law introduced a shoot-on-sight curfew in many major cities such as New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, and led to an incident known as the "Houston Incident," where over 2,000 citizens were slaughtered by artillery bombardments executed by the military under order of the Gang of Four.

By the end of the 1980s, it was evident that the United States was struggling. Most social norms had dissolved under an all-engulfing wave of competing special interest groups, media-fueled fads, and an overall "me first" worldview.[3] The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 hearkened the end of the Cold War that had consumed the United States for the greater part of the 20th century. Conflict, however, soon resumed with the start of the First Central American War in 1990. The United States engaged in interventionist actions in Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador. Military forces were sent to secure the Panama Canal Zone from an ex-U.S. puppet dictator.[2] 1991 saw a pyrrhic victory in a U.S. invasion of Iraq.[1]

The Treaty of 1992 witnessed the establishment of the European Economic Community and the creation of the Eurodollar. The United States declined to enter in what some called "paranoid isolationism". Protective European tariffs and unfair trade practices negatively impacted the American economy.[2] The U.S. engaged in the anti-EEC "Quiet War."[1] That same year, in an attempt to end the War on Drugs, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency spread several designer plagues worldwide targeting coca and opium plants. The governments of Chile and Ecuador soon collapsed, and a savage drug war erupted between Eurocorp-backed dealers and the DEA across the Americas. Protests against the war resulted in rioting in major US cities. A year later, Colombian drug-lords detonate a small, tactical nuclear device in New York City, killing 15,000.[2]

By 1994, the homeless population on the streets had skyrocketed to 21 million. The technical revolution had further torn the economy apart, creating two radically divergent classes—a wealthy, technically oriented, materially acquisitive group of Corporate professionals; and a down-class of homeless, unskilled, blue-collar workers.

The New United States of America (NUSA) is a country consisting of 51 states and other various territorial possessions across the world.[2] In 2020, the United States had one of the highest levels of income inequality in the world, with 90% of the wealth controlled by 10% of its population. Over 65% of the population lived in squalid misery, and another 25 to 50 million were disenfranchised, homeless nomads or boosters wandering the ghost towns of the central states.[1]

Total economic, social and political breakdown began with the Crash of '94 and resulted in the disintegration of American society and its standing as the world superpower. The subsequent years would come to be known as the Collapse, and would see the deaths of roughly 100 million people as a result of plagues, mutated viruses, terrorist nuclear attacks and complete ecological collapse. The disintegration of NATO and the hardline foreign policy pursued by the "Gang of Four" isolated the United States politically and economically; with trade wars increasing the suffering of the American people. The complete destruction of the American economic, political, and social fabric was irreversible. Overburdened by debt, homelessness, and corruption, many bankrupted city governments turned to corporations to gain control of governmental functions and public services.[1]

Militech, one of the world's largest corporations, is headquartered in Washington, D.C. The megacorp dominates the country's politics, with the last few US Presidents being ex-Militech executives. The country focuses much of its budget into Militech, a secret not kept from the population. However a power struggle has been present for decades with the Arasaka Corporation controlling much of the economy and protection of the Free States.

The rebranding of the country as the New United States occurred sometime between the end of the Fourth Corporate War and 2040, when President Elizabeth Kress restructured the nation[3], although it wouldn't be until 2053 when it officially became known as the NUSA.[4] In 2069, President Rosalind Myers instigated the Unification War to reclaim the Free States. By 2077, the NUSA was the 24th largest economy in the world, and held only a sliver of its former influence in international affairs.

2077

In 2077, the USSR was a nation of irregular contrasts. Many citizens were guaranteed free public health care and access to the latest medical technology, complete with modern aerodynes, and new cities were being built to house and employ the USSR's increasingly sedentary nomad population. However, basic resources remained scarce, and pollution was a significant problem. The government created an AI named Geroi with the sole purpose of calculating solutions to these issues.

2030s-2040s

Despite the massive reforms of the 1990s and growth of SovOil during the 2020s, Neo-Soviet Republics were still weakened by their antiquated technology. In 2045, the USSR couldn't fully feed its hungry population. A new generation of highly aggressive oligarchs rose as the failure of the economic and social reforms became evident. Unlike the Novosovetskaya Partiya (NSP) predecessors, who were content to simply siphon off the remaining assets of the State, the Neo-Soviet oligarchs were more akin to the megacorporations of the roaring 2020s: hungry for power, and willing to do anything to acquire it.

Old powers such as SovOil were preparing for the next step in their evolution, aware that oil would stop being a prime source of revenue. The megacorporation diversified into more services and goods, moving into new areas like general agriculture, CHOOH2 power systems, aircrafts, computers, and synthetics. New players also emerged, such as Zhirafa Technical Manufacturing, which brought the GRAF3 construction drone to the market in 2039. For the first time in decades, Neo-Soviet technology was considered reliable and inexpensive enough to be purchased in bulk by local governments, and viewed with trust by small communities, worldwide. Within barely a handful of years, many governments and Corporations across the world had come to rely on the corporation's line of aerial and terrestrial combat drones for use by their security and law enforcement agencies.

SovOil became the most powerful faction within the Neo-Soviet Union. New secessionist movements then threatened to break up the various sovereign republics, but via covert action and diplomacy, SovOil prevented this from happening: SovOil had a vested interest in keeping the USSR intact and stable, and therefore uses its political power, troops, and resources to make it so.

In 2006, SovOil begun to produce CHOOH2 under license from Biotechnica, which it marketed throughout Europe. The last-minute cancellation of a deal with Petrochem, where SovOil would have received updated drilling, pumping, and CHOOH2 technology in exchange for granting partial drilling rights in untapped Siberian oilfields, led to the permanent rift between the megacorporations.

The animosity between SovOil and Petrochem eventually became hostility, which soon erupted into violence and escalated into the Second Corporate War, a conflict which numerous smaller corporations were dragged into.

2010s

The war between SovOil and Petrochem ended in mid-2010. In the years that followed, the political importance of SovOil leadership for the USSR was proven by the role that its Chairperson, Arkady Cherminino, had in resolving a conflict between Latvia and Lithuania in 2016. The megacorporation proved by doing so that it had become the major unifying force within the Union. It had greater resources than any single Republic and even the Central Committee.

By the end of the decade, SovOil became the seventh-largest corporation in the world in terms of value, and continued to sail on the way up, becoming one of the major powers in the world. By leveraging its political power in the Union, where it could draw on the resources of the Republics and the Central Committee as tools when necessary, the megacorporation also maintained Neo-Soviet influence relevant throughout the world.

In the last decade of the old Soviet Union, the reformist Premier Mikhail Gorbachev lessened Soviet influence over Eastern Europe to decrease the drain of Soviet resources to the military. He then led the reformation of the Soviet Union into the Soviet Federation, a loose confederation in which all of its members were granted the status of sovereign countries.

His successor, Andrei Gorborev, continued with these reforms but had to confront the growing problem of secessionist movements within each of the sovereign republics. The members of the Soviet Federation, led by Gorborev, founded the new Union of Sovereign Soviet Republics, a supranational union that allows each member state to direct its own army and foreign policy, but partially unites their economies into a free trade zone that unites their oil and coal industries under a single administration.[1]

Rise of SovOil (2000s)

KGB remnants and Communist hard-liners attempted a coup against the government. The coup was quickly crushed due to the rebels having overstretched themselves, but at great cost in both men and materiel. SovOil requested the authorization to establish its own security force, arguing that the Soviet Army did not have the resources to defend all of its facilities.

The state gave SovOil permission to do so. This backfired spectacularly on Moscow, as it led to the Soviet Corporate Rebellion of 2002, in which SovOil declared itself an independent entity. The state took military action to prevent this, but its forces were outmatched by the better equipped and motivated SovOil troops. The state was forced to admit defeat and accept the independence of SovOil.

The timeline of the Cyberpunk series diverges dramatically from our own around roughly the 1990s—although other divergences do occur well before then, albeit smaller in size and scope—where the fall of the Soviet Union at the end of the Cold War leads to a dissemination of nuclear weapons on the black market. Coupled with a US government "deep state" called the Gang of Four, the world soon finds itself in the midst of an economic crisis and the Collapse. Proxy wars, trade wars, and a resurgent Europe butt against the prevailing US world order. Eventually, brief nuclear exchanges and biological warfare around the globe cause the gradual decline of Western civilization. Societies collapse and many governments either dissolve or are reduced to reactionary, petty authoritarian states.

In the chaos, corporations fill the vacuum of power amidst a collapsing social order. Technological advances, unbridled from government oversight or ethical limitations, lead to hundreds of new inventions. As time wears on, some corporations become as powerful as the countries they are housed in. Ultimately, four corporate wars have occurred by 2023, each one becoming more overt and deadly than the last. The infamous Fourth Corporate War was brought to an end by the detonation of a nuclear bomb in the heart of Night City. The years that followed until 2045, the Time of the Red, were a period of global reconstruction as corporations and governments alike tried to recover from unparalleled economic and environmental damage. By 2077, corporate influence is more pervasive than ever, and fears of another devastating corporate war loom large on the horizon.

Money means everything in the world of Cyberpunk. Banks have in increased in a large variety, promising to protect the money of their clients. Often times these banks will have private armies or hire on security services from other corporations.

The Arasaka Bank is not widely visible to the public as it tends to deal exclusively with corporate and business accounts. The Arasaka Bank is often attributed to the success of the corp, and is one of its three major pillars. It handles some personal accounts, including those of the Arasaka family and several wealthy businessmen, celebrities and politicians from around the world.

EuroBank is a European Bank that operates as the basis for most daily financial transactions worldwide.

Fujiwara Bank is one of the bigwigs in the financial world. This is a main bank, one of the characteristics of a Japanese corporate group.

Meiji Sumitomo is a large bank firm that operates primarily in Asia.

In the world of Cyberpunk, there are many corporations that will work for you, the customer, rather than manufacturing or developing new products, these corporations are in business to serve.

InfoComp is an American information broker which uses the best private detectives to dig up dirt for a client.

Merrill, Asukaga, & Finch by 2077, was highly exclusive investment and financial counseling firm (founded and based in New York City) has rebranded itself simply as "Asukaga & Finch".

Orbital Air specializes in cargo and passenger transport to Earth's orbit. Orbital Air can be found on nearly every continent, with multiple space facilities in low orbit. Their spaceplanes are mostly manufactured and owned by them, however JAB and ESA manufacture their own and are used when travelling to their respective territories.

REO Meatwagon is a Trauma Team competitor that deals primarily in corpses, rather than assisting the living.

RSVP are specially trained bodyguards that mainly operate in European countries.

Trauma Team International (TTI) (Trauma Team) is specialized paramedics company that will kill anything in their way to assist their injured client.

WorldSat Communications Network (WCN) is a French monopoly on large scale satellite communications based in Paris, France. It is one of the largest corporations Europe has to offer.

ArmaCorps" thrive in the extremely dangerous world of Cyberpunk. Crime is rampant, modern law enforcement are ineffective and security companies are as lethal and well organized as a nation's army. Gone are the days of the rent-a-cop, who patrols a mall on the prowl for some underage punks, now a security team is a cohesive unit, deploying a small arsenal and willing to shoot first and ask questions later. Mercenary outfits have become far more widespread, with many well=funded and headed by respected war veterans.

Arasaka is the world-leading Armacorp specializing in police contracting, personal & corporate security, and security consultancy services, not to mention the scope of their investments in military-industrial manufacturing and their in-house accounting division. They are also easily distinguishable from their contemporaries via their black-clad uniforms and telltale logo. Arasaka is one of the most influential corporations on the planet and holds significant amounts of control over many governments.

the American Lazarus Group specializes in paramilitary contracting, and is staffed by Central American Conflict veterans and personnel. A versatile mercenary force, they provide soldiers and special agents-for-hire to people or organizations that do not have the resources, need or time to construct and maintain a full-time armed force of their own.

the American company Militech specializes in military armaments and equipment manufacturing, but also deals in paramilitary & police contracting. They're not as big as their competitors in this field, but their presence can be felt in NUSA territory. After being nationalized, many of Militech's members were incorporated into NUSA's Department of Defense.

the Japanese company Kiroshi is an industry leader in optics design and manufacturing, and holds a monopoly on the cyber optics market. Kiroshi deals worldwide and a majority of people utilizing optics are using their products. They're a producer of high quality cyberoptic implants and scanners, but the company is also heavily invested in orbital programs across Asia and the Americas.

Raven Microcybernetics (Raven was) founded in Night City, and deals in Cyberware technology.

Rocklin Augmentics was Early to the game of cyberware, Rocklin first supplied artificial limbs to veterans of the Central American Wars. Though they quickly fell to obscurity afterwards, a total rebrand in 2030 recaptured and kept public attention with the overly stylish designs—tech and fashion in equal measure—that now characterise their lineup.

Much like the world of computing, augmentation be they mechanical or biological is at the forefront of the Cyberpunk world, and the corporations which help develop this field are known as "BioCorps", producing and developing everything from Bioware, Cyberware, Nanotech and biosculpting technologies, to GMO crops, biofuels, cultured cells, and test-tube organs & tissues.

the NUSA based Adrek Robotics and Arasaka are currently bitter rivals. Adrek deals in cyberware tech and has used money that it received from copyright infringement cases to fund its various projects.

Akagi Systems Incorporated is a small japanese corporation that manufactures cyberware in Asia. However their business is dying and they are risking bankruptcy.

Bakumatsu Chipmasters (Bakumatsu) is a corporation that specializes in language cyberware chips which are sold in Japan. Many corporates utilize these chips when communicating in Asia.

Biotechnica is an italian company that specializes in genetically modifying crops, more specifically grains. It has developed a patent on a new species of GMO wheat known as V. Megasuavis, the key ingredient in the production of CHOOH2 the supposed "fuel of the future".

Sycust is a cyberware manufacturer and cyberware customizer.
Cyphire Cyberware France Cyphire is a subsidiary of Sycust and another developer of Cyberaudio tech, and a collaborator with Dakai Soundsystems.

Dakai Soundsystems (Dakai) is a well-known Japanese developer of Cyberaudio technologies for the music industry. Many artists utilize their products to gain credibility in the industry.

Dynalar Technologies (Dynalar) is a well-known cyberware manufacture in the US.

IEC is the world's largest cybernetics developer.

Kenjiri Technology (Kenjiri) deals with a lot of technological devices that are sold in Japan. More noteworthy was its merger with Kiroshi.

"CyberCorps" are necessary for modern life in the world of cyberpunk, as almost everything revolves around a computer of some sort. With the availability of more advanced technology as well as the emergence of the Net, tech corporations have cemented their place in modern society. The famed hacker Rache Bartmoss published two catalogs of software and hardware for use in the Cyberpunk world.

Akari Heavy Industries is a Japanese software developer and large corporate investor of smaller corps. While most of their business comes from acquiring other corporation's assets through buying out bankrupt businesses, the production of software is their more widely known source of revenue.

Euro Business Machines (EBM) is a Germany based conpany that generalizes in the manufacture of computer products, information technology, and electronics. Their software is very popular in the European Union.

International Electric Corporation (IEC) is a German company that mostly deals in cyberware, however also has a subsidiary that focuses on software engineering.

Microtech is an industry standard in workstation and mainframe computers in the US.

Zetatech was originally a small company from the Silicon Valley. Specializing in computer hardware, software, and wetware design, the company was among the main providers of neural processors, microchips, and robotics on the American market. In 2077 they also manufacture aerodyne gunships, as well as security, combat, and utility drones.

"ManuCorps" were least affected by the collapse. As long as capitalism exists, the manufacturing industry will be fine. ManuCorp products can range from vehicles, weapons & armaments, to children's toys, computers, VR & AR, cybernetics, robots and many more. The security giant, Arasaka, started out in heavy manufacturing in the late 1800s, even in 2020, they have retained their manufacturing operations, and secretly own many other small companies.

Arasaka originally started in manufacturing, and it remains one of their three major pillars in business. Their weapons and equipment are some of the most sought after in the world. They are the largest manufacturer and exporter of Japanese made products and cyberware in the world. Their major exports are in the US, Europe, and Asia.

Euro Business Machines (EBM) a Germany based computer hardware manufacturer and one of the largest employers in the world. Computers and electronics are their specialty.

International Electric Corporation (IEC) a Germany based manufacturer of a wide range of smaller components, such as engines, hardware, computer chips, which it supplies to other companies. Deals a lot in space facilities.

Kang Tao went from a small failing company to a massive corporation within 20 years, partly due to constant funding by the Chinese government. By 2077, Kang Tao is now competing with the top dog industry giants, such as Arasaka and Tsunami.

Militech, formerly Armatech-Luccessi, is a New USA military-industrial arms giant. Commonly known as the largest weapons manufacturer in the world.

Mitsubishi-Sugo A subsidiary of the Japanese Mitsubishi company, this merger between two corporate vehicle manufacturers mainly deals with the JSDF. The vehicles they manufacture include tanks, armored vehicles, and ACPAs.

SegAtari or Segotari, is a Japanese corporation leading in the gaming, robotic humanoids and weapons manufacturing markets around the world

Tsunami Defense Systems is a top-tier weapons manufacturer

Many "AgriCorps" started as smaller family farms that may have owned a few acres of farmland, an unimpressive amount of livestock and machinery on the verge of collapse. After the world market collapse and the collapse of the United States many "AgriCorps" set up shop, huge swaths of land became drought-stricken and barren and the family farm was all but over. All this happened at a time when bulk grown crops were needed more than ever. Some of the larger farms survived the Collapse and managed to buy up a lot of fertile lands. By 2020 65% of farmland in the US was owned by the corporations, many of which producing CHOOH2, the Biofuel of the future.

Akaromi BioCorp (Akaromi) is a large agriculture corp which exports mostly synthetic foods and rice. A majority of its business is held in Japan, supplying food in the forms of fish, rice, and various rare meats.

Consolidated Agriculture (ConAg) Based in the NUSA- has been supplying the world with quality products of food for many years after the Collapse.

Petrochem, formerly Parker Petrochemicals, is the largest producer of CHOOH2 in the US. They are also responsible for manufacturing many agricultural products.

Soviet World Oil Industries (SovOil) is one of 15 manufacturers around the world that have a license to produce CHOOH2, though their product is inferior to others. Being the richest company in the Soviet Union allows SovOil to use its economic power to manipulate and ultimately control the Soviet government.

MediaCorps" are giant conglomerates that control the airwaves across the world. Made up of thousands of news broadcasters, entertainment studios, and publishers, they ensure that only the right news makes it on air. Many analysts suspect that some of the larger "MediaCorps" have deep ties to governments around the world, and if they don't know, its only a matter of time before they do.
News Network 54 (NN54) is a 24 hour news service across the US, which gained control of several smaller cable networks and pioneered the small-scale development of several new broadcasting and production technologies.

Nippon Network (NN) is a 24 hour news service across Japan, with multiple media subsidiaries which it acquired by buying out bankrupt entertainment studios.

Diverse Media Systems (DMS) is a 24 hour news service that is the second largest in the US, just behind NN54. DMS was involved in a joint venture to create and distribute the first Braindances.

World News Service (WNS) is a London-based news service that operates worldwide. WNS keeps tabs on the world, by any means possible. Newspapers and news stations around the world pay large amounts of money to receive WNS stories via the WorldSat Communications Network.

Puppet mayors and governors were voted into office and local laws were put in place to benefit the corps. Cities such as San Diego, Philadelphia, Belfast, Singapore, Hiroshima, and Yokohama are policed by the Arasaka Corporation, they do not accept money for their fee, but rather influence and power in those cities. Night City was entirely funded by the corporations, in order for them to have a piece of land they could call their own, and act in with impunity. Subsequent mass privatization of what was once public enterprise within these cities began, and most were powerless to stop it. A place like Night City is largely under control of Arasaka, as they used it to their own advantage. The corporations thirst for power, resources, and capital did not stop at simple special ops tactics carried out by covert operatives. The corporations would would fund a full scale wars against each other in order to achieve their goals and ambitious.

The development of new technologies and world events during the 90s also made the post-Crash period a key time for new companies to develop. Venture capital was scarce in the wake of economic upheaval, but there were still enough investors around who had survived the collapse, and even played it to their advantage, to pump funds into a few promising, infant industries such as cybertechnology, biotech, independent military contracting and technology, artificial intelligence, net-tech, and so on. The general economic confusion of the years from 1994 to 2016 was increased as these new companies attempted to establish footholds to stake their claims in the new order.

In the latter half of the 21st century, corporations are international financial behemoths – megacorporations. They have their own political aims, even waging more or less open conflicts against the competition. It's no exaggeration to say that corporations are what shapes the reality and life of an ordinary person.

After the World Market Collapse of 1993, many corporations faced bankruptcy and folded. Many large corporations that survived became even larger. In the case of the Arasaka Corporation, they didn't just survive the collapse, but they greatly benefited from it, and was able to pick up the pieces of much smaller corps. The post collapse United States became free reign for the corporations. The federal government was not in a position to stop them, as such the burden of chaos fell onto regional and municipal governments as they encountered a new wave of capitalist violence and extortion. This took the form of corporate bribes, corruption of government officials, and corporate militias warring in the streets. Along with drastic spikes in organized crime and gang membership, widespread impoverishment and unemployment, and in the case of the USA and UK, massive loss of revenue due to most citizens becoming nomads or just not declaring a SIN. As such, many cities and metropolises were turned into de facto "special economic zones" where corporations were exempt from taxes, regulations, and sometimes even the law itself, with the corpos gradually began co-opting local governments.

The corporation power structure is typically set up so that the CEO or president is at the top of the food chain. Underneath them is a sea of mid to high-level executives, all vying for a chance to progress up the ladder. Junior execs are what you would call a yuppie with more money than sense, they typically run smaller projects such as extorting a smaller rival or corporate espionage. Above them are managers, who oversee a whole department. The major infighting in corporations begins here, with dirty tricks, nepotism, and dishonesty being the primary factor in promotions to the next level. At this level, you see VPs, whose role mostly comprises of the day-to-day running of the company. Above them, you have the senior management, your various C designation officers, CEO, COO, CFO, etc. Founders, owners, major stakeholders sometimes comprise this level of the company but they are more likely to be seen on the board of directors. These are the ones with the true power and they always travel with a heavy armed presence.

The Corporations (Megacorporations or MegaCorps) are giant, transnational companies which dominate the Cyberpunk world. They can range from simple media corporations to worldwide security firms, the only thing you have to remember is that they will kill anyone that stands in their way. The corps in this world are often seen as sovereign nations in and of themselves and use their power to change the world around them.

In the world of Cyberpunk, corporations are one of the most prominent entities in everyday life. Much like the real world corporations of the 21st century, they are worldwide conglomerates, that operate 24/7, buying, selling or providing services to many around the world. Corporations, and those within them, aim to get ahead by any means necessary. "Cutthroat" business culture is no longer a metaphor, as blackmail, extortion, bribery, kidnapping, espionage, and assassination have all become commonplace in the white-collar world. Small corporations typically act above the law, whereas really successful corporations are the Law.

In the dark and dangerous world of Cyberpunk, the corporations operate more like small nations than they do companies. CEOs are more like monarchs, holding onto power for as long as they can, and using the company to do their bidding. Scandals are brushed aside and power grabs are swiftly dealt with a bullet. Junior members have to watch their backs constantly, with lower-level employees just itching at a chance for their job, and higher-level employees willing to hold onto theirs with lethal force.