So is everybody in the universe body modding?

[Fenris]

Was gonna post a thoughtful question, but then it dawned on me that I don't actually know what i'm talking about. Is everybody in the Cyberpunk universe body modding to do cool things with their bodies? OR, is that just like the extremely minuscule crime network that uses implants to achieve an advantage? What's the average guy doing? Just plugged into a screen behind a desk somewhere.... like us? lmao

Gimme your thoughts pls

[NorthernDavid]

Given that corporations in the cyberpunk universe can and do force people to get cyberware modifications in order to get a job, it is fairly common. Heck the corps even force people to get certain implants and then take them away if the person is fired or let go.

[Zebedee]

It's what you can afford to have, but, yeah, it's common in the universe for people to have some sort of modification. Game tries to reflect that by having tramps with modifications but they look cruder/older than comparable ones the more affluent have. It also does the environmental story telling of employees being modified to meet their employers' demands, and things like no-one ever wondering what to do with a data shard.

Obviously a huge range there between the practical, the cosmetic, and the high end near superhuman.

[Fenris]

Spooky lol I think one of my favorite things from the series was those weird things ppl **** off w/ lmao look like they were having seizures

[Lax]

It may also depend on where a person lives, as well.

Having shard slots in your wrists and neck could be akin to people present day having phones and other smart devices and being reliant on an internet connection for many different things - recreational or otherwise.

Admittedly, I know very little about the lore of Cyberpunk so I'm not familiar with how technology is distributed or used world wide and how cheap it has become... Or how many people globally have access to the things we see in Night City.

[Zebedee]

If I remember it correctly from the original lore (so in universe 2020s) gene modification was popular in Europe but hugely more expensive in the rest of the world.

There is a reference in game now to the price perhaps being cheaper in the Soviet Union for full body replacements, which leads to scams. In North America, the lore is (was?) that full body cyborg sort of stuff was expensive and also restricted needing either corp backing to get (eg employees) and/or registration with local law enforcement.

[Bahamut_A6M5]

The average guy is disemployed, spending most time scavenging trash for selling to street vendors in order to make some bucks and, luckily, get some older generation cyberware... Ha, kidding. Those bucks are for eating and paying for shelter.

Cyberaugmentation is only available to those with large sums of eddies, from corps to mobs. Anyone working for them is likely to have some augmentation paid by these bosses, but it's also highly likely those implants are rigged to ensure the loyalty of the employeé. Alternatively, you can try to make it on your own as an edgerunner. Then, cyberaugmentation is more like a job prerequisite than a hobby, the only way for getting the upper hand against opposition you will face (from gangoons to corporate security guards).

In short, in 2077, cyberaugmentation is a hobby for those with eddies or a tool for their job. But there's also prosthetics: medical cyberimplants for replacing damaged limbs or organs. This therapeutical cyberware has little impact on what you can do; their strenght is basically the same of an organic limb, with no added weird functionalities (like the micromissile launcher).

Finally, there's also body sculpture, which allows for things like making yourself into a look alike of another, improving your own image or even rejuvenation. Again, this costs large amounts of eddies, so only the wealthy can afford it (or people like edgerunners needing a face change from time to time).

[Silverbane7]

Getting modded used to be easy.
2010's thru to 2023 was the golden age of cyberware.
Then the Red hit. (After the bomb in Arasaka tower, the world went into a recession. There were 10 years of red sunrises and sunsets due to the atmosphere)
That's why only the rich have fancy cyberware, or the workers.
You will see many folks with blocky, chunky or basic arms or legs. (6th street guys are a good one to look for. Many of them have prosthetic legs that are close in style yo what we get now)
Tyger Claws are one of the few gangs that heavily mod with sleek ware, while Maelstrom heavily mod grungy and old style.

Most of what you see at street level is old. Real old. Had Johnny comment on a joytoy once that her Chrome was older than him, wonder how she keeps going?
Its a case that most of the poor folks chrome is hand-me-downs.
Joytoys use their pay to upgrade mostly.
Think the ripperdocs in some of the poorer areas have a kind of network of shared upgrades, drivers and soft that they share around, to keep old tech running.
Don't believe the adverts telling you to always make sure your cyberware is new lol. Just remember to keep it clean, don't update your soft yourself, and check any new upgrades are compatable BEFORE you install lol.
Oh, and don't buy black market MrStud. Or upgrade to version 3.0 if you do....

[The Minted Lady]

I would say that the majority are, though whether or not they can afford it is up for question. As some have already said, some corporations require it for work purposes, but then they take money out of an employee's paycheck to pay for it. And if that employee gets fired/quits, then they owe money for the parts and can have them repo'd.

I think the main problem is we only see Night City in the game. The rest of the world might have minor body mods like the ports in the neck, or the ability to call someone with your mind, but I doubt they're all walking around with modified limbs as much as they are in Night City. It is supposed to be a unique spectacle, mostly owned by corporations who can prettymuch do what they want with their employees. But also, since cybernetic enhancement is a sign of luxury, it would stand to reason that people of a lower class would also get cheaper cybernetics just to "keep up with the Joneses".

Considering the fact that Judy, Claire, and a number of other people you meet get their jobs done with minimal cybernetic enhancement, I'm inclined to think that the majority of the world does not go the lengths of the people you see in NC. They probably do in some of the more first world countries, but I'm sure it's minor in the others.

[Silverbane7]

Well, NightCity was voted 'worst place to live' in 2077 lol.
(Might explain the large amount of limbs)

But the rest of the world IS modding.
More, in some cases. It depends on cash flow I think.
We are not seeing it because we are playing one game. Just one.
You hear about some bits tho, via radio and TV news.
Like the miners that lasted 2weeks without clean water and food.
Then there is the report about the British Royal Family who ended up in the hospital due yo acid rain damage (gonks forgot to check the weather before going out hunting. Got caught in an acid rain shower without the proper protection gear and got burned lol)

Expect we will hear more this way once the dlc hits (they like 'show, don't tell' type stuff)
Plus Talsorian Inc are going worldbuilding. Their tabletop page has links for lots of PDF stuff (like tables to convert your fave 2020 guns, lists of random Kibble flavours ect)
There is an article on special wheelchair's, one if which is a spider leg thing that can probably go full flathead style and hang upside down.... (tho, ya might fall out lol)
They are also releasing an 'Edgerunners' box set that's going to update RED (which is set in 2045) to be current to 2077.
So that's going to have more info hopefully, about what the rest of the 2077 world is getting up to.
(They need to update the 'rough guide to the uk' the 'pacific rim sourcebook' and 'home of the brave' which give details about Europe, Asia and the pacific areas, and the NUsa respectively)

[scott.templer]

game doesn't show it but in the Cyberpunk lore there's even chimera genetic mods that allows for people to have animal features. Though they would have to have the option to put cat litter boxes in the game LMAO. Hope Cyberpunk Orion adds cosmetic mods or chimera mods

[Zero McDol]

Those who can afford to mod their bodies in the Cyberpunk 2077 world usually do so. Some don't and prefer to stay 100% human. Some have no choice and need cybernetic parts to deal with physical issues.

All depends.

[Bahamut_A6M5]

Originally posted by Silverbane7:

(...) (They need to update the 'rough guide to the uk' the 'pacific rim sourcebook' and 'home of the brave' which give details about Europe, Asia and the pacific areas, and the NUsa respectively)

Eurosource Plus is the handbook for Europe. EU needs badly some update for RED, as there are implications things have changed quite a bit since the 20's (specially, their alliance with the Neo USSR seems to have ended and the socialdemocrat governments have eroded into corpocracies). Plus, it would be interesting seeing if EU went further with their biotechnology (some interesting options seen in Eurosource+).

[Fenris]

i love these replies. make's me confident i never want to live in night city lol

[The Time Traveler]

In a violent world like this it would stand to reason limbs would be more likely to get lost and need to be replaced as one grew up living in night city. Warzone and all.

[Zebedee]

Something to keep in mind about seeing replaced body parts is that since the 2040s it's been cheaper to have a vat grown replacement than to have an alternative. One of the offshoots from the advances to try and solve the food crisis in the timeline.