By the year 2091, the world had changed—but not enough.
The New United States of America (NUSA) had clawed its way out of decades of corruption, reshaping itself into a nation with a new mission: to take down the unchecked megacorporations that had ruled like tyrants for too long. Their campaign, known as "The Great Reclaiming," was swift and relentless. Across the country, corporate monopolies crumbled, their empires reduced to ashes under the weight of justice and public scrutiny.
All except one.
Night City stood defiant, a sovereign state under the banner of Arasaka, the last megacorp untouched by the NUSA's crusade. Within its neon-soaked streets, Arasaka thrived, emboldened by the weakening of its competition. The corporation's influence bled into every corner of the city—through its boardrooms, its security forces, and its quiet whispers in the underworld.
Rumors spread like wildfire: Arasaka was preparing for war. While the NUSA celebrated its victories elsewhere, the corporation fortified its hold on Night City, working in secrecy to safeguard its empire. No one knew the full extent of their plans, but everyone could feel the tension. The quiet hum of anticipation was deafening, the calm before an inevitable storm.
The city itself reflected the chaos simmering beneath the surface. Civil unrest gripped the streets, as civilians, disillusioned and desperate, clashed with corporate security forces. Gangs that once thrived in the shadows now battled openly for dominance, their violence spilling into neighborhoods already on the brink of collapse. Every day brought new fires, both literal and metaphorical, and the city seemed to feed on its own destruction.
They called it The Neon Divide—a city caught between the bright allure of its technological promise and the cold, unyielding reality of its corporate overlords. For every beacon of hope, there was a shadow waiting to snuff it out.
And in those shadows, Arasaka worked. Quietly. Relentlessly. Building something.
No one could say for certain what their plans entailed, but one thing was clear: Night City was on the verge of something catastrophic.