The neon metropolis of Night City and the 1950s-inspired retrofuturist aesthetic of the Fallout series each depict vastly different futures at a surface level. However, while it may seem like Cyberpunk 2077 and Fallout paint very different pictures of the future, more elements are shared between their two worlds than one might think. With the upcoming Phantom Liberty DLC for Cyberpunk 2077 and speculation as to what Fallout 5 might entail, taking a look at the in-universe timeline of these games might hold the key to understanding future entries.
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Fallout’s Pre-War Days are Almost as Dystopian as its Post-Apocalyptic Ones
It’s important to note that the majority of Fallout games take place after the year 2277, 200 years after the start of the Great War. Life in 2077 was not at the post-apocalyptic levels it would become after the vaults were unsealed, but even without an irradiated wasteland, the Fallout world still featured some pretty dystopian elements in the months leading up to the nuclear bombardment. Despite following a relatively similar timeline to the real world, the development and ubiquity of nuclear power in this world put society on much different trajectory.
The monopolization of the energy industry under Poseidon Energy set the stage for a dystopian corporate society under the guise of the tidy, well-to-do cultural remnants of 1950s America. As nuclear energy became the standard in the 21st century, it became increasingly clear that nuclear war was inevitable. This led to the founding and explosive growth of corporations like Vault-Tec in 2031 and RobCo Industries in 2042 as the demand for military defense grew exponentially. By 2047, RobCo was one of the most powerful corporations in the world, and by 2077, it had made its way into nearly every aspect of computerized American life with its Unified Operating System.
Such pervasive computer technology sounds very similar to the influence Cyberpunk 2077’s Arasaka megacorporation had over that world with its role as the leading purveyor of military tech and corporate security. The world of Cyberpunk 2077 and Fallout both feature a technological arms race as corporations sought to develop powerful, widely available weapons and defense technology. As a result, militarized robotics were developed in both instances with RobCo’s creation of Liberty Prime—a superweapon used to liberate Anchorage in January 2077—and Arasaka’s array of cybernetic implants and combat automatons such as the Arasaka Robot R Mk.2.
Cyberpunk 2077’s World is Much More Desolate than Night City Would Suggest
The wasteland of Fallout’s post-Great War world is iconic for the series, but Cyberpunk 2077 players might not realize the extent to which wasteland covers its world as well. Night City might be a bustling hub of wealth, but venturing outside the city and into the surrounding badlands demonstrates the cost of this wealth and extravagance. The California badlands to the north and south of Night City were created as the result of ecocide and drought caused by the overproduction of corporations in the New United States of America.
Unlike the wastelands of Fallout, these badlands were not the direct result of war, but rather due to environmental degradation. By 2077, outcasts from Night City had made their home in the badlands as clans of nomads like the Aldecaldos came to rule these barren wastes. Compared to the opulence of Night City, the humble lives of the nomads might not look too different from the settlements found throughout the world of Fallout.
The strong sense of loyalty to each other mirrors the strength of tight-knit communities of Fallout’s wasteland like Megaton or Diamond City when compared to large, faceless entities like the Institute or the Enclave. Although these small settlements wouldn’t ban together until after the Great War, they demonstrate a similar societal development to those of Cyberpunk 2077’s nomads. Regardless of its causes, the collapse of society present in the year 2077 has shown to be a catalyst for development of new communities across both franchises.
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Life for the Average Person in 2077 was Filled with Impending Danger
The threat of environmental devastation and military conflict were facts of life for residents of the NUSA and the Enclave’s United States. Both worlds share an increasingly authoritarian government with even greater militaristic aims that teeters on the edge of conflict at a moments notice. Cyberpunk 2077’s NUSA had already suffered four global corporate wars by the time the game takes place, resulting in mass displacement for many of its citizens. Citizens of Fallout’s Enclave-run government were long prepared for the war of 2077 thanks to collaborative efforts between the Enclave and Vault-Tec to normalize the idea of escaping nuclear war within the vaults.
In both cases, competition for resources and overdevelopment of land led to highly militaristic societies where the average person struggled to get by. Despite living in technologically advanced societies, most of the population saw that technology used for violence rather than prosperity. Cyberpunk 2077 envisions a future where cybernetics can be used to help better human lives, yet are most often used to upgrade one’s combat capabilities. The age of nuclear energy in Fallout would have resulted in clean, renewable energy for all if not for the monopolistic greed of corporations like Poseidon Energy.
Getting to look at a snapshot of the collapse of society in the year 2077 as depicted by two different franchises shows how forces beyond one’s own control can shape their future. As Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty sets up connections between V and the NUSA government, it is important to remember the role it played in the demise of the country it was meant to protect. Fallout’s future may not be known for some time still, yet it’s clear from previous entries in the series that one or more of its massive corporations and shadowy entities will likely play a role in a future plot.
Cyberpunk 2077 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
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