Cyberpunk is a retro-future concept that can be seen in the media since the late 60s. It is the amalgamation of technology and humans in a more symbiotic way than ever. It gets rid of human limitations and replaces them with tech parts.
Elon Musk’s Neuralink might be the closest thing to cybernetic connections, but it is a start. Technically speaking (pun intended), we actually have all the retro tech that is mentioned in the games. Whether it be clothes, cars, or house items, we are remarkably close to “Cyberpunk”.
The game has been praised by many and expanded the reach of Cyberpunk aesthetics all over the world. Looks aside, the game also is a commentary on the socio-political climate of the world. With big tech companies controlling the data already, there is a chance that Cyberpunk might become a reality soon.
Access to Information
In the game, people do not have access to a lot of information and tech companies have overruled the governments. The interests of the few outweigh the needs of the many. It might be a reality today, but the power will shift from the politically inclined to the tech moguls.
The people in power in the games have been bribed by the tech magnates to make decisions that directly profit them. This is a form of lobbying that highlights the common fallacies in the current system. It is also a shot at what is happening in the world already.
ID Theft
In the game, there are multiple instances of ID theft and how easy it is to gain access to information through hacking. With cybersecurity still in its nascent stages and not many people incorporating it into their daily lives, it is one of the most exploited aspects of the game and online frauds also show how many people still fall for it.
Corporate Spying
An NPC (Non-playable character) in the game talks about getting top clearance at a competitor’s firm and this is the same thing as AI Penetration that we have right now. But the firm knows this and has been feeding the infiltrator false info.
With cybersecurity still not as prevalent and people falling for the most basic of scams, it is not hard to see companies doubling down on them. Google and many other top brands have been victims of cybercrimes and constantly change their cyber policies.
Quick Hacks
The most unrealistic part of the game, the quick hacks into cybernetics, and the limitless manipulation might be a bit far-fetched. But Elon Musk played the game and said that he is trying to actively achieve something similar with Neuralink.
With the game being closer to reality and “1984” by George Orwell, also partially coming true, there is a very big chance that the game might have predicted a lot of things correctly. But given the current state of the world “THE” Cyberpunk that we know today might not be the one that comes to fruition.
In the end
It might be good, or it might be bad, but we currently are on the path of Cyberpunk being more of a reality than fantasy.
