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Cyberpunk V3.0, subtitled, Roleplaying in the Dark Future, and also known as 203X, is the third edition of the popular pen and paper RPG series Cyberpunk by Mike Pondsmith.
After a hiatus in the mid to late 1990s, R.Talsorian Games published a third edition to act as a sequel to Cyberpunk 2020 and the Firestorm series.
Overview
Setting
The setting has been heavily updated from the event from the Firestorm Series, which covered the opening of the Fourth Corporate War. The aftermath of the Fourth Corporate War has resulted in widespread corruption of the Net and major losses of hardcopied data, to the point that all data is intangible and recent recorded history is in doubt. An example that pops up in Pondsmith's demos at conventions, releases on the Internet, and in the finished game is that knowledge and recorded history has become lost or corrupted. Many people in the world now believe Richard Nixon, instead of resigning over Watergate, committed suicide on camera and that memes such as the moon landing being a hoax become prevalent. The war has also led to the collapse of nations, the world economy, and many of the staple megacorporations. This civil upheaval leads to the rise of the "altcults", alternative cultures similar in vein to the "phyles" from Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age.
Controversy
Many fans expressed their disappointment with the third edition, citing the drastic change of setting and style as well as the use of action figures in place of more traditional art work. Author Mike Pondsmith used 1:6 scale action figures, of which he was a collector of at the time, in lieu of the hand drawn Nagel-esque artwork seen in the previous editions. Players also took fault in the shift in setting, the introduction of the alt-cults, and the confusion of the DataKrash.
As a result of Cyberpunk 2077, Mike Pondsmith has said[citation needed] that V3.0 has since been retired and many elements may be recycled in Cyberpunk Red. While the specifics have not been made clear, it is implied that Johnny Silverhand survived and the Arasaka Nuke was not detonated.
Sourcebooks
- Beyond the Edge (Altcult Insider #1) - Inside the Edgerunner Altcult: Details the Edgerunners - the OG Cyberpunks. It updates the reader on what they've been up to and what their goals are. Also details NuCybe technology and rules on generating NuCybe devices.
- Gangbook!: Profiles the most deadly gangs and organizations in the Night City megaplex.
Accessories
- DataPak - Contains 6 combination character sheets / dossier envelopes and 6 AltCult status sheets.
- FlashPak - Cyberpunk Gaming Utility: GM screen, 36-page "quick-play" version of the rules for new players, and pre-generated character templates. Also includes generic maps and stats for new Bioforms, Body shells, ACS vehicles, Mecha, Transforms and NuCybe systems.
Availability
References
PONDSMITH, M. Cyberpunk v3.0, 1st ed. Berkeley CA; R.Talsorian Games, 2005
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