The Unification War & The New USA
“The Collapse” was a turbulent period in the Cyberpunk 2077 timeline, in what is now the Old USA’s history. The first three corporate wars, and stock manipulations by the gang of four (NSA, CIA, FBI and DEA) accelerated and led to the total economic, social and political breakdown as well as the crash of 1994 that led to years of hardships and what is largely known as the worst catastrophe of the 21st century.
The 4th corporate war began in late 2021, which eventually pitted Militech and Arasaka against each other. The megacorp rivals proceeded through different stages of conflict, from covert to more overt means that not only shook the US, but many parts of the world as cities burned and trade routes dissolved, leaving entire economies on life-support. This culminated in the detonation of a nuclear weapon in Arasaka Towers in Night City, forcing the president at the time Elizabeth Kress to banish Arasaka shortly after, nationalizing Militech in the process
Post war riots and pockets of rebellion were still rampant across the world, but this inevitably settled into a time of rebuilding and recovery, with many of the Nomad groups created as a by-product of the collapse, becoming a necessary vessel for the beating heart of the Americas. Shipping and trade routes were largely dominated by Nomads who had the means, infrastructure and skills of traversing these routes. Night City, the epicentre of the devastation began it’s recovery process mainly on the backs of its residents, as Kress had largely abandoned any sort of recovery efforts.
Nomads kept Night City and the US afloat with their shipping knowledge and expertise
Between 2035 and 2069 we had the period of Reunification. During the beginning many of the abandoned and decrepit towns were rebuilt and repopulated, and rumors started to spread across Night City and the globe that Arasaka had been scapegoated for destroying their own tower by the president. Arasaka back in Asia saw bouts of internal conflict which drove the corporation into 3 warring factions.
At the end of 2069, the recently elected president Rosalind Myers presented a unification program extending federal rule to the free states in an attempt to unify the country. Most of these free states including, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, Arizona, Nevada and North California opposed unification. The New USA, backed by Militech, pressured these states hard, but unbeknownst to them, these states were secretly backed by Arasaka. This conflict between the New USA and the seperatist states evolved into what was called The Metal Wars, and was fought with the most cutting-edge military technology and weaponry.
Night City avoided the fighting by a sliver, although North and South California ended up on opposite sides of the coin, with North Cal wanting to retain autonomy, and South California siding with NUSA troops. In 2070, New USA troops marched to the outskirts of Night City, but were thwarted by councilman Lucius Rhyne, who utilizing his vast list of contacts to call upon Arasaka for protection. Within days, an Arasaka supercarrier descended upon Coronado Bay, and hours after NUSA troops had withdrawn fearing this extended conflict would cause collateral damage.
After this the unification treaty was signed, where the free states retained their autonomy, agreeing to participate in the nation to some degree and cease conflict. In the aftermath, Night City was rededicated as an international free city, independent from the laws and governing bodies of North California and the New USA.
The state of Corpo Plaza in Night City in Cyberpunk 2077
As a result Night City was embolstered and kept alive with the support of the megacorporations whose infusion of money and assets revitalized the city. This was capped off with the building of the new Arasaka headquarters in downtown, in the same spot as they were before their towers were destroyed in 2023.