Cyberpunk 2070
Life in the year 2070 has grown dangerously stratified, as the gap between the have and have-nots has grown into a gaping chasm. The world is now ruled by corporations, almost sovereing states in themselves. National states, ravaged by growing bureaucracies and corrupt officials are largely ineffective. Some exceptions exist. The EU's largest nations, with it's multitude of states each auditing the others, have managed to retain a measure of authority. China's authoritarian state and draconian punishments places a grave price on corruption.
Unemployment is rampant, with global rates close to thirty percent. The world population is scratching nine thousand millions. With advancements in manufacturing and a pervasive globalization as multinational corporations swallow local markets, there simply aren't all that many jobs to go around. Unemployed and often homeless, these masses of humanity have commoditized human life as minimum wages plumetted.
Bioengineered plagues preclude large areas from even growing food, except were resistant strains can be purchased from biotech companies. A large proportion of the arable land goes towards the production of biofuels, necessary to supply the growing energy costs, as fossil fuels run out. Fusion power could cover the gap, eventually, but the costs of such advanced technology make it impossible to install it in the areas that most need it. Most people make do with synth-food, vat grown sludges that provide nourishment. Only the richest areas of the world can afford the luxury of fresh vegetables, and real meat is a delicacy reserved for only the most affluent and excentric executives.
Those fortunate enough to hold a corporate job count with a number of benefits that make them willing to go to any lengths to ensure their continued employment. Corporations look after their own, offering medical insurance, NET access, housing and other living expenses. These benefits increase exponentially as one's position in a corporation rises. Mid-level managers live lifes of luxury, and higher executives and vice-presidents enjoy riches those living at the bottom would never dare to dream of.
As a result of this extreme gradient in quality of life, crime has become rampant. Gangs took to the streets with heavy weapons and claimed the crumbling cities, turning them into combat zones as police and corporate enforcement battle them to keep the coming revolution in check.
Out of this unstable mix a new strata of people was born. Refusing the placating efforts of goverments or the alluring call of corporate life, they rebel against the pervasive corruption. As aimless as they are determined, and loaded for bear, many confuse them for regular criminals. But as more and more people from all walks refuse to be neatly categorized, a new perception of this cyberpunk movement is growing.
How did it come to this?
The timeline leading to 2070 starts a couple years in the future.
2010s - As China's influence grows, Russia forges closer ties with Europe, finally joining the EU in 2019.
2020 - Biofuels become near equivalent to fossil fuels.
2022 - Organ cloning becomes possible.
2024 - The DEA develops and spreads several designer plagues worldwide, targeting coca and opium plants.
2025 - European Space Agency, associated with Roscosmos, launches Hermes 2 space plane.
2030 - Mid-east crisis, fossil fuel crash.
2032 - Economic crisis in developping countries as fuel costs soar.
2034 - US economic crisis due to financial misconduct.
2037 - Global food crisis as arable farmland is turned over to biofuels.
2038 - Self-contained arcologies proposed to combat growing population concerns and famine.
2039 - BitCoin Consortium formed, as several multinational corporations decide to sidestep goverments and deal with independent, untraceable currency.
2040 - Fission power spreads.
2041 - Chinese Space Agency installs first space elevator.
2042 - World Stock Exchange is created, the bitcoin used as the reference currency.
2043 - Woldwide food-crash as biological agents kill all non-corporate food. Mass extinction of flora and fauna species. Famine.
2044 - Orbital facilities begin construction.
2045 - Synth-food developped.
2046 - Lack of oversight results in several accidents, large areas irradiated.
2047 - First human clone grown in vitro. Mindless, it only lives for 6 hours.
2048 - Biologic Interface Chips created.
2049 - First cybernetic computers begin seeing use.
2050 - First generation cybernetic limbs enter circulation.
2051 - Fusion power harnessed.
2052 - Synthetic muscle fibres developped.
2053 - Second generation cybernetic limbs enter circulation.
2054 - Cybermodem invented, birth of the NET.
2055 - Second generation arcologies make use of fusion power.
2056 - Braindance developed.
2057 - High energy laser lift arrays / mass drivers increase access to LEO.
2058 - First self-aware human clones created.
2059 - First lunar colony starts mining Helium-3.
2060 - Fusion miniaturized.
2061 - AV-4 Aerodyne developped.
2062 - NetWatch established by joint US/EU/CH treaty.
2063 - First true AI developed.
2064 - First robotic assembly craft departs for Mars.
2065 - I-G Transformations redesign the NET.
2066 - Rise of cyber-mercenaries.
2070 - Present.
