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I’ve been playing Cyberpunk 2077 (2020) for a little while, and I will likely have more words about it later, but at the moment I’m mainly amused that the similar universes of Cyberpunk (1988), Shadowrun (1989) and Blade Runner (1982) all wrongly picked Japanese culture as prominent in the not-so-far future when Chinese culture is shaping to be more dominant in real life.

I was wondering if it was because these universes were all created at a time where Japanese culture just made it big in the Western market? There’s of course a hefty dose of exoticism in all these universes but also at the time China wasn’t as big on the world stage as it is now.

#cyberpunk

#cyberpunk
Irongut
Irongut  
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At the time they were created EVERYONE had a Sony Walkman, a Japanese VHS video recorder, a Japanese TV and their economy had not collapsed. UK & European brands created Japanese sounding brand names for their electronics. Meanwhile China was communist. So it made perfect sense.
Hypolite Petovan
Hypolite Petovan  
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@Irongut Thank you for the historical context! This detail of these universes definitely didn’t age well, and it feels like an oversight in a recent production such as Cyberpunk 2077.
@Irongut
Komnene
Komnene  
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@irongut I like that about them, it feels "biographical" to the timeframe in which the genre developed, ie what people thought about the world and it's future before the lost decade when Japanese economic growth stagnated and China began to compete

And since Cyberpunk 2077 is in the same universe as the roleplaying game from 1988, I think it's an apt portrayal of it

@Irongut
Hypolite Petovan
Hypolite Petovan  
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@Komnene @Irongut I understand the authenticity appeal but I don’t personally enjoy it. I’d have preferred a more accurate near-future depiction factoring in the updated state of the world 40 years later.
@Komnene @Irongut
Hypolite Petovan
Hypolite Petovan  
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@Irongut @Komnene I wrote this, and then during last night’s play session, a Chinese corporate cyberware manufacturer was introduced as part of the main storyline: QianT (Simplified Chinese: 千替), a subsidiary of the Kang Tao (simplified Chinese: 康陶) mega-corporation. I stand corrected!
@Komnene @Irongut
This entry was edited (10 months ago)
Hypolite Petovan
Hypolite Petovan  
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@A Sweet Gentleman I agree but in these universes Japan culture isn’t only present through its fictional influence. Blade Runner’s neon street signs are written in kanjis, Cyberpunk’s Night City has a “Japantown” neighborhood (but no Chinatown, although ubiquitous in Western megalopolises), and 3 of the ten AAA mega corporations in Shadowrun originate from Japan while the closest to China is headquartered in Hong-Kong.
@A Sweet Gentleman
Brian Ó
Brian Ó  
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It's my understanding that the Japanese economy was growing very quickly in the 80s and they were also leading the world in technological innovation. So, it was a decent guess.
Hypolite Petovan
Hypolite Petovan  
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@A Sweet Gentleman Cyberpunk 2077 actually gives a prominent place to Mexican culture with the depiction of an ofrenda for a deceased character. No depiction of Arabic culture whatsoever so far.
@A Sweet Gentleman
Hypolite Petovan
Hypolite Petovan  
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@A Sweet Gentleman I wrote this, and then during last night’s play session I stumbled upon the Little China neighborhood in Night City. I stand corrected!
@A Sweet Gentleman
Hypolite Petovan
Hypolite Petovan  
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@A Sweet Gentleman Oh, you can purchase various color hijabs 15-20 hours into the game. Clothes are on the same 5 tier system as weapons and so arbitrarily unlock as you progress in the game, even though most don't have any characteristic buffs associated with them. Also each piece is extremely expensive. You can buy a firearm for the price of 5-6 shirts, and coats are the same price as pants or shoes. 🤔
@A Sweet Gentleman
Hypolite Petovan
Hypolite Petovan  
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@A Sweet Gentleman One of the funniest things is that some clothe shops show price tags in their store, but it doesn’t match the actual price of the items at all!
@A Sweet Gentleman
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