Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty - What Exactly Are the New United States of America

Image Credit: thetealmango

America has essentially become shattered and lawless in Cyberpunk 2077. The NUSA wants to bring the nation back together and will pay any price to do so.

While many Cyberpunk 2077 fans thought the game couldn't be rescued from its bug-infested state, many more hoped it could be redeemed with new updates and DLC content. Now may be the greatest time for the developer to do so. CD Projekt Red recently published a teaser trailer for Phantom Liberty, the first planned DLC for Cyberpunk, which adds a whole new area of Night City to explore, new weaponry, cyberware, and an exciting espionage tale between the New United States of America and Militech.

The history of the current United States and the rest of the world has diverged in the realm of Cyberpunk. It was the United States and NATO that fell, not the Soviet Union, as a result of a global stock market meltdown in 1994. Within two years, the United States had been swamped by homelessness, unemployment, disease, famine, and a deteriorating ecosystem as a result of climate change. Many city governments declared bankruptcy, turning the streets into active war zones due to gang violence. In a desperate attempt to salvage themselves, they were compelled to turn to mega-corporations. Countless families were disenfranchised and forced to live nomadic lives in order to survive. It is estimated that approximately 100 million Americans died as a result of this nationwide disaster.

Image Credit: joany.industrialmill

As the mayhem unfolded, the states of Texas, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Utah, North Dakota, and South Dakota all seceded from the US and declared their independence, becoming known as the Free States. Meanwhile, high-ranking personnel of the NSA, CIA, FBI, and DEA attempted to seize power by assassinating both the President and Vice President, further destabilizing the country. They formed a mysterious organization known as the Gang of Four, and to this day, they maintain ultimate influence within the federal government, with countless covert agents stationed around the world.

To prevent America from collapsing completely, the military suspended the constitution and proclaimed martial law for more than a decade. Even when martial law was repealed, many people saw the new government as a dictatorship disguised as a democracy. As a result of these disasters, rampant corruption, and civil strife, America is no longer regarded as a worldwide superpower, and it has lost much of its influence and standing in the eyes of other nations. They are now fighting to recapture their country's former greatness as the NUSA.

The federal government nationalized Militech in 2023, at the end of the Fourth Corporate War between Arasaka and Militech, to keep the firm in check. They also used their military-industrial might to bolster their own army and keep law and order in the territories they ruled. Since nationalizing Militech's assets, the federal government has relied nearly solely on its resources, and many of its board members occupy high-ranking positions in the nation's military. It can be difficult to distinguish between the state and the corporation.

Image Credit: thegamerimages

Rosalind Myers, the freshly elected NUSA President, outlined a program in 2069 to reunify the Free States under federal administration under the guise of strengthening the nation. Some of these autonomous states elected to rejoin the fold, but the majority rejected, prompting the NUSA military and Militech to mount an attack on the western states. This struggle was later known as the Unification War. When the battle neared Night Local, a city councilman called Lucius Rhyne contacted the Arasaka Corporation and pleaded for their assistance in defending the city. A few days later, a supercarrier with a big army of Arasaka soldiers arrived on the coast, forcing the NUSA and its allies to call off the attack on the city.

After Arasaka's intervention, the NUSA and the Free States agreed to the Treaty of Unification, which guaranteed the Free States' autonomy while requiring them to join the federal government and put an end to their internal wars. During this time, Night City gained international independence and ceased to be a part of North California or the NUSA. Many of the laws and liberties of the Free States and NUSA no longer applied, so this newfound independence came at a cost. Once more, corporate interests were accepted within the city. The Arasaka Corporation gained the most from the agreement, despite the fact that its conditions were unacceptable for both sides of the war because they permitted them to resume operations in North America after a long period of prohibition.

More details on what to anticipate for this DLC won't be accessible for at least another year. Even though the Unification War is over, the NUSA is still committed to bringing all of the Free States under its control in the future. The Phantom Liberty trailer suggests that Night City might hold the secret to making this fantasy come true. The players will probably decide whether V will swear to help the Feds or try to stop them.