One could say we're living in stable times. The 4th Corporate War is ancient history, the Unification War is over and done with, and Night City is a free city – a jewel embedded between two Californias. Living here, you might have the impression that everything is OK in the world. But look around.
The world is not OK. Despite technological recession between 2020 and 2040 reducing global pollution levels, humanity is still facing monumental existential threats. Climate change has turned into climate disaster – its effects are irreversible and dangerously unpredictable. Hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, floods – natural catastrophes are growing in strength and frequency across the continent, leveling entire regions. Access to clean water is becoming increasingly more scarce, as well as fertile land. Hunger and starvation still reaps a bloody, human harvest in Asia and Africa, where corporations had no interest in building vertical, hydroponic farms.
Meanwhile, advances in cybermodification have given rise to a new problem: cyberpsychosis. And though we've been aware of cyberpsychosis for over half a century, and know that incidents of cyberpsychosis are inextricably linked to a person's level of implantation, we still do not know why some are more prone to carrying out violent attacks than others. Let's not also forget the more serious issue of mass inequality, record high crime rates (including in places like Night City) and social unrest linked to immigration in almost every corner of the world...
So I ask you again – look around. You see all of these problems in Night City already. Maybe you're standing in the shadow of a megabuilding and you think, "Night City is Night City – the rest of the world's problems don't affect me, right?"
Right?
