Vista Del Rey (English: View of the King or King's View) is one of the sub-districts of Heywood, located in central Night City.
History[]
Early history - 2050s[]
After the Fourth Corporate War, this part of Night City turned into a Combat Zone. Most of the area was occupied by the old Little China and Japantown, though most of its originals residents had already moved out to other parts of the city.
The original Heywood was in a different location to the southeast, packed with refugees and divided between a poorer south area known as Santo Domingo, and a wealthier portion known as North Heywood. Over time, the residents of Santo Domingo and Heywood began to clash, while at the same time, a group of reclaimers started to clean up South Night City. In the following years, the reclaimers improved the former Combat Zone so much that when the residents of North Heywood realized South Night City had much better homes than their own, they decided to move in, kicking the reclaimers out in the process. The new residents then renamed the district to Heywood, since to them that name was who they really were, not where they lived.[1]
Not much later, the population of the old Santo Domingo, grew up and spread to what used to be Little China and Japantown, and soon after Vista del Rey was born.[2]
2070s[]
During the 2070s, Vista del Rey was the poorest sub-district of Heywood, and it was dramatically afflicted with poverty and violence. Many buildings and apartment blocks seemed run-down, and gangs overrun this part of Night City, causing the streets to be less crowded and the older residents to pack up their things a leave. The Valentinos were the true power in this area, and their graffiti were spread over many walls. However, 6th Street had a notorious influence over the sub-district as well, and they were seeking to take all of Vista del Rey for themselves. This caused a turf war against the Valentinos that only got worse over the years. Eventually, many more people abandoned the area in fear it would turn into a Combat Zone. But there was another powerful group that was not interested in letting that happen.
To the north and west, Vista del Rey bordered the much wealthier City Center and similar parts of the Glen, as well as Westbrook on the other side of the canal to the northeast. Having many affluent people surrounding this sub-district caused an unceasing and sometimes violent strife between the locals and the corporate neighbors. These wealthy residents and corporations were not content in having a dying district filled with poor people and gangsters as their neighbors. They would have already taken Vista del Rey by force if they weren't so afraid of the bad PR that the pacification of an entire district would cost them. Nonetheless, a lot of rich investors were starting to see Vista del Rey as a diamond in rough; where boutiques could replace old bodegas, and condos could crowd out the aging megabuildings. All these ideas were just that for the time being, but all the residents of these areas knew sooner or later the corps would try to kick the locals out. The sub-district was far from turning into a Combat Zone, but it was still a dangerous neighborhood to visit.[1][3][4][5]
By 2077, the war between the Valentinos and 6th Street was intensifying, with Vista del Rey being more dangeorus than ever. With all these problems, it was just a matter of time before the megacorporations decided to engineer a gentrification of the area for "the good of the city."[6][1]
Database Entry[]
VISTA DEL REY
There's no need to sugarcoat it - Vista Del Rey is the worst part of Heywood, eaten alive by poverty and oppression. Gangs are the neighborhood's undisputed rulers - though the streets they rule over are often deserted. Fugitives or suspicious types hide in the shadows of megabuildings that've seen much better days - now their run-down exteriors seem to scorn you as you pass them. It's no wonder then that Vista is a thorn in the side of the powers-that-be in neighboring districts like Corpo Plaza and North Oak. Corporate executives would happily forget about the squalor of Heywood if it weren't literally right on their doorstep. Every once in a while rumors circulate that the city's authorities could take over and "clean up" Vista Del Rey, but who'll actually step up to the task?[6]
Locations[]
Map of Vista Del Rey.
- 2nd Amendment
- Advocet Hotel
- Brain Wash
- La Catrina
- Delamain Headquarters
- Dicky Twister
- Gustavo Orta's Apartment
- Jacked and Coke
- Max-imum Pleasure
- Megabuilding H5
- Mercado Sonora
- Night City Medical Center
- Recce Shooting Range
Notable Gangs[]
Behind the Scenes[]
The Glen is Night City's government district, home to and owned by City Hall. A quick glance at the illustration of this seat of municipal authority compared to those of corporate headquarters should tell you what you need to know about the relative distribution of wealth and power. Then-City Councilman Lucius Rhyne's deal with Arasaka in 2070 gave Night City its independence from the countries around it, but at the price of ceding much control of the city itself to corporations, Arasaka first and foremost. The transfer of power was physically reflected in the rebuilding of Corporate Plaza, which forced City Hall out of the center and into this less than prime piece of real estate. Its northern edge, that closest to City Center, verges on tolerable and even attractive. A peaceful park borders a row of elegant skyscrapers, and behind them, City Hall itself. Heading south, however, the Glen quickly becomes impoverished and crime-ridden. It merges into Vista del Rey, where the Valentinos are the true rulers of gritty, though colorful, streets. For the adventurous, or just those with few choices, there is still fun to be had, but overall life is nasty, grim and short.[7]
See Also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Mission Kit - Edgerunner's Handbook. Kenmore, WA, R. Talsorian Games, 2024. (pp.18–21)
- ↑ R. Talsorian Games on X: "Meanwhile, in 2045, the area southeast of the city center, where many refugees from the 2020 period fled to, is already divided by demographics. To the north the mostly English-speaking population calls it Heywood. To the south, centered around the Aldacaldo camp, the mostly Spanish-speaking population calls it Santo Domingo. In time, that northern population will migrate across the channel into South Night City and, when they do, they'll take the name Heywood with them. The population of Santo Domingo will, meanwhile, grow and spread to the northeast into what used to be Little China and Japantown and Vista del Rey will be born."
- ↑ BATYLDA, M. The World of Cyberpunk 2077. 1st ed. Milwaukie, OR, Dark Horse Books, 2020. (pp.114–115)
- ↑ CD Projekt RED. A Visitor's Guide to Night City. Poland, CD Projekt S.A., 2019. (pp.42–25)
- ↑ CDPR Forums (District feature: Heywood)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 CD Projekt RED. Cyberpunk 2077. Video Game, Multi-Platform. Poland, CD Projekt S.A., 2020.
- ↑ CURRIT, T. The Official Digital Artbook of Cyberpunk 2077. Digital, Online. CD Projekt RED, 2020. (p.48)
