Playing Instructions

Cyberpunk 2020. It’s a roleplaying game set in a dystopian future where technology, crime, and corruption are rampant. You can create your own character and explore the world of Night City, a sprawling metropolis full of opportunities and dangers.

To play Cyberpunk 2020, you will need the following:

A group of 3 to 6 players who want to create and play their own characters. One player who will act as the game master (GM), who will create the story, the world, and the challenges for the other players. The core rulebook of Cyberpunk 2020, which contains everything you need to know about the game system, the setting, and the character creation process. Optionally, you can also use some of the supplements that expand on the core rulebook and provide more options and content for your game. Some of these supplements are available for purchase online1 , while others are included in physical copies that you can buy from DriveThru RPG1 or other retailers. The basic steps to start playing Cyberpunk 2020 are:

The GM creates a scenario or a plot for their group to follow. This can be anything from a simple heist to a complex conspiracy involving multiple factions and characters. The GM presents their scenario to the players and asks them if they want to participate. If they agree, they choose one of their characters to take on a role in the scenario. Each character has six attributes: Body (physical strength), Mind (intellect), Will (mental fortitude), Social (interpersonal skills), Technical (knowledge of technology), and Luck (chance-based outcomes). Each attribute has a score from 1 to 6 that represents how good or bad that attribute is for that character. The GM assigns each player a number from 1 to 6 that represents their character’s rank in Night City society. This number determines how much money, influence, and respect they have among different groups and individuals in Night City. The GM also assigns each player some equipment that suits their character’s role and style. Equipment includes weapons, armor, cyberware (implants that enhance or replace body parts), vehicles, money, contacts (people who can help or hinder them), etc. The GM then describes what happens in the scenario and what choices each player has to make. Each choice involves rolling dice based on certain attributes or skills related to that choice. For example, if you want to hack into a computer system, you might roll Technical + Computer + Security + Stealth + Coolness + Willpower + Luck dice depending on how difficult it is. After each choice is made by all players involved in that scene or situation, the GM compares all the dice rolls together and determines what happens as a result of those choices. For example, if you roll high enough on Technical + Computer + Security + Stealth + Coolness + Willpower + Luck dice but not high enough on Coolness + Willpower + Luck dice when trying to hack into a computer system with high security measures, you might fail your attempt or trigger an alarm instead. The GM then narrates what happens next based on what happened before and what choices were made by all players involved in that scene or situation. For example, if you failed your attempt to hack into a computer system with high security measures but triggered an alarm instead, you might attract unwanted attention from guards or rival hackers who want to stop you or steal your data. The GM then repeats steps 5 through 7 until either everyone succeeds in achieving their goals or something unexpected haappens that changes everything.

This is just a brief overview of how Cyberpunk 2020 works as a tabletop roleplaying game. There are many more details and rules that go into creating an immersive and fun experience for everyone involved. the most anticipated video games of 2024, based on the same world and lore as Cyberpunk 2020 and Cyberpunk Red. This guide has everything you need to know about the game mechanics, the story, the characters, the locations, the quests, the weapons, the cyberware, the vehicles, the factions, the secrets, and more. It also has some tips and tricks on how to play the game effectively and enjoyably.

This is Cyberpunk 2020! It’s an introduction to the world and system of Cyberpunk 2020, the roleplaying game of the Dark Future.

for the Cyberpunk RED game. The city's establishment is relatively recent compared to others, arising from a patchwork of small towns and sprawling, unincorporated areas before 1994. In the aftermath of the Collapse, a visionary land developer named Richard Night acquired substantial land, embarking on the ambitious project of creating a secure, pristine corporate city free from crime and urban decay. Tragically, Night's aspirations took a dark turn when he was assassinated shortly thereafter, transforming his dream into a nightmarish reality.

By 2020, Night City had evolved into a rapidly expanding urban hub, marked by persistent violence and crime but bolstered by robust economic growth fueled by the presence of multiple Megacorps. As the quintessential city of the Cyberpunk future, it faced near ruin during the 4th Corporate War, triggered by a nuclear device detonated in Arasaka Tower—the pulsating heart of the city's corporate core.

In the Time of the Red, Night City is convalescing from the harsh impacts of recent tumultuous decades in the Cyberpunk RED game. However, it's crucial to remember that, like much of America, Night City remains an armed society grappling with staggering poverty, violence, and inequality. The crowded city streets are as likely to showcase firearms as they are briefcases. Though the most chaotic days may have subsided, the specter of societal breakdown persists—history has shown that societal structures can crumble, and lurking around every corner is another gang vying for dominance in the Cyberpunk game, regardless of the consequences. This bitter lesson was one that America grappled with at the close of the 20th century.

Night City, located near the junction of Northern and Southern California, serves as the default setting

Presently, services are unreliable, legal enforcement is uncertain, and accessing the NET from the edge of space or enjoying an Orbital Air luxury flight to the Crystal Palace is no longer feasible in the Cyberpunk RED game. Despite these challenges, Night City manages to function. While obtaining the latest digital Agent or top-notch weapons may prove challenging due to disrupted supply chains from the War, the proliferation of rooftop and green-wall gardens, bandit solar collectors, and repurposed hardware from local Tech providers ensures a better quality of life—improved nourishment, dependable power, and access to gear in the Cyberpunk RED game. Additionally, the local Fixer remains a reliable source for new drugs and cutting-edge cyberware straight from the Streets.

The 2020s' Golden Age may be a distant memory in the Cyberpunk game, choomba, but The Street endures. In the challenging reality of Night City, the intricate tapestry of survival, innovation, and adversity continues to shape the cyberpunk narrative in the Cyberpunk RED game.

Cyberpunk 2020 Game Map and locations

In the process of reconstruction, Night City in 2045 undergoes continual transformation, resembling a labyrinth of ruins and construction in the Cyberpunk game. The city is dynamically evolving, and its diverse districts are pivotal in understanding its current landscape.

The Old Bank Block: This district houses the remnants of Night City's old banks, now mostly reduced to rubble, though official clearance never took place.

The Old City Center: Only radioactive ruins persist in the area that once thrived as the bustling City Center.

The Old Corporate Center: Formerly the heart of the Corporations of Night City, the Corporate Center now stands as a ruin of its former glory.

The Old Medical Center: Predominantly irradiated, the Old Medical Center contains numerous hospitals buried beneath the rubble.

The Glen: An emerging district encompassing crucial governmental buildings in Night City in the Cyberpunk game.

Little Europe: A divided district comprising closely-knit neighborhoods with a mix of old brick buildings and towering skyscrapers.

NorCal Military Base: A heavily fortified military base situated north of Night City, primarily staffed by Militech soldiers and mostly isolated from the rest of the city.

Pacifica Playground: A predominantly Corporate-sponsored district developed around the Playland by the Sea amusement park, currently undergoing massive development.

Upper Marina: A vibrant urban district blending old industrial zones with gentrified "International" style neighborhoods centered around a well-maintained marina.

University District: A slim district on the outskirts of the Combat Zones housing the city's sole functioning university.

Watson Development: A developing district where megabuildings and arcologies are constructed to accommodate the homeless from the War. Night City's Asian population has largely moved to Watson, known colloquially as Kabuki.

The Executive Zone: A new zone featuring only one district designed for the safety and pleasure of the Corporate elite, carved out of the open hills surrounding the city.

Old Japantown: Formerly a popular Japanese cultural center, it descended into chaos and disrepair during the 4th Corporate War. Most of the population has shifted to Watson, leaving the area mostly deserted except for gangs.

Little China: An expansive and perilous Chinatown with multiple small communities fighting for survival.

Old Combat Zone: A district long abandoned to gangs and psychos, the Old Combat Zone is the origin from which the rest of the Combat Zones emerged.

South Night City: An industrial sprawl populated by trigger-happy gangs, with abandoned warehouses repurposed into hideouts and headquarters.

Heywood: An densely populated sector housing a significant percentage of the city's population, already showing signs of division based on wealth and power—affluent in the north, impoverished in the south (referred to as Santo Domingo).

Heywood Industrial Zone: The largest industrial zone in the city, teeming with warehouses, construction equipment, factories, and even some derelict cargo ships.

New Westbrook: An urban sprawl constructed in the remains of the original Executive Zone, still radiating glamour but now filled with homeless citizens displaced by the War or pushed out by ongoing gentrification.

Rancho Coronado: A vast expanse of old Beaverville-style housing, overtaken by tent cities and industrial zones that have emerged from the remnants of previous mini-malls.