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You've made it through the neon storms and the digital dust—now, step inside. Looking for pre-war films? Maybe some ancient tunes from the golden age of sound? Or perhaps you're after something... rarer? Whatever you're seeking, the past is alive here. Browse carefully—some artifacts hold more than just memories.
What is Cyberpunk?
Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction that blends high technology with a dystopian and decayed environment. It explores themes such as the impact of technology on society, megacorporations dominating governments, hacking, artificial intelligence, virtual realities, and individuals fighting against oppressive systems.
The term emerged in the 1980s, driven by works like Neuromancer (William Gibson), Blade Runner (inspired by Philip K. Dick), and Akira (Katsuhiro Otomo). The genre has influenced aesthetics and philosophy across various media, including films, games, anime, and music.
Cyberpunk often features marginalized protagonists—hackers, mercenaries, outcasts—who use technology to survive in a world where identity, information, and power are constantly shifting. It is a vision of the future where neon lights contrast with urban decay, and where human augmentation blurs the line between man and machine.
Keywords: urban decay, neon aesthetics, mass surveillance, hacking, artificial intelligence, cybernetics, megacorporations, dystopia, transhumanism, virtual reality, corporate oppression, digital rebellion, synthetic consciousness, underground networks, cyber warfare.
Cyberpunk Timeline
1960s-1970s: Foundations of Cyberpunk
1968 – Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Philip K. Dick)
Philip K. Dick’s novel explores the concept of artificial intelligence and what it means to be human, laying the foundation for cyberpunk themes of identity, consciousness, and the merging of man and machine.
1973 – The Shockwave Rider (John Brunner)
This novel introduces the idea of hacking as a form of rebellion, a central concept in cyberpunk, where technology is both a tool and a weapon.
1977 – Traveller RPG
The Traveller tabletop RPG features themes of high-tech, low-life, and complex politics, introducing the blend of technology and dystopia that would define cyberpunk.
1977 – True Names by Vernor Vinge
Decades before cyberspace became mainstream, True Names envisioned a world where hackers operate in a virtual realm. The novella introduced the concept of online identities, government surveillance, and digital warfare, laying the groundwork for cyberpunk’s vision of the internet.
1980s: The Birth of Cyberpunk
1982 – Blade Runner is released
Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott and inspired by Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, brings cyberpunk aesthetics to the mainstream with its neon-lit, rain-soaked streets and corporate-controlled society.
1983 – The term “Cyberpunk” is coined by Bruce Bethke
Bruce Bethke coins the term "cyberpunk" in his short story, capturing the essence of a subgenre that would soon explode in literature and film.
1984 – Neuromancer (William Gibson)
William Gibson’s Neuromancer defines much of the cyberpunk genre, introducing the concept of "cyberspace" and the hacker as protagonist. It marks the beginning of the genre’s literary dominance.
1987 – Cyberpunk 2020 RPG
Cyberpunk 2020 introduces a detailed world of high-tech and low-life, featuring a dystopian society dominated by corporations. It becomes a seminal tabletop game that influences cyberpunk culture.
1988 – Akira anime is released
Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira becomes a milestone in cyberpunk anime, blending themes of political unrest, technology, and the collapse of society with groundbreaking animation.
1989 – Ghost in the Shell manga debuts
Ghost in the Shell explores the concept of AI and the boundaries between humanity and technology, setting the stage for many cyberpunk works in the years to come.
1990s: Cyberpunk Goes Mainstream
1992 – Snow Crash (Neal Stephenson)
Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash expands the virtual reality and hacking themes of cyberpunk, predicting the rise of the Internet and virtual spaces as places of power and control.
1995 – Ghost in the Shell anime film
The Ghost in the Shell film adapts Masamune Shirow's manga, presenting a philosophical exploration of AI, consciousness, and the merging of human and machine.
1997 – GURPS Cyberpunk banned by the U.S. Secret Service
The GURPS Cyberpunk role-playing game is banned after concerns over its hacking content, reflecting the growing tension between technology and government surveillance.
1999 – The Matrix premieres
The Matrix revolutionizes the cyberpunk genre in cinema, blending mind-bending philosophy, action, and cyberpunk aesthetics to explore themes of control, freedom, and the nature of reality.
2000s-2010s: Cyberpunk Evolves
2002 – Minority Report brings cyberpunk to Hollywood
Based on Philip K. Dick’s short story, Minority Report explores pre-crime, surveillance, and the ethics of technology, continuing the exploration of cyberpunk themes in mainstream Hollywood.
2009 – Avatar
Although not a cyberpunk film, Avatar explores themes like transhumanism and corporate control. Jake Sully transfers his consciousness into a Na’vi body, raising questions about identity, technology, and exploitation.
2013 – Elysium by Neill Blomkamp
This dystopian sci-fi film touches on cyberpunk themes like wealth disparity, corporate dominance, and cybernetic augmentation. While the rich live in luxury on a space station, Earth’s poor struggle to survive, and one man’s fight for survival challenges a system built to keep power in the hands of the elite.
2015 – Ex Machina by Alex Garland
Blending psychological thriller with sci-fi, Ex Machina explores AI, consciousness, and autonomy. A programmer is invited to test Ava, a highly advanced AI, but as the experiment unfolds, the line between human and machine becomes dangerously blurred.
2017 – Blade Runner 2049 continues the legacy
The sequel to Blade Runner expands on the original film’s themes of AI, humanity, and corporate control, while updating the visual style for a new generation.
2020s and Beyond: The Future of Cyberpunk
2020 – Cyberpunk 2077 is released
Cyberpunk 2077, a highly anticipated open-world video game, immerses players in a neon-drenched, dystopian future, allowing them to explore themes of transhumanism, corporate greed, and rebellion.
Cyberpunk continues to evolve
As technology advances in real life, the genre remains relevant, offering a reflection on the impact of AI, surveillance, biotech, and corporate control in the modern world. New films, games, and literature continue to push the boundaries of what cyberpunk means in a rapidly changing society.