Here's more info on the 4th Corp War

In Cyberpunk you hear a lot about the Fourth Corporate War, but what was it? The Fourth Corporate War was a global conflict between 2021-2025 that involved the megacorporations Arasaka and Militech hiring out their private armies to fight proxy battles on behalf of the rival seacorps CINO and OTEC. It brought the world's economy to the brink of collapse and destabilized governments across the globe.

The roots of the war began in early 2021 when the underwater shipping and tech megacorp IHAG went bankrupt. Rival seacorps CINO and OTEC immediately moved to acquire IHAG's assets through hostile takeovers. At first they engaged in typical corporate battles like stock manipulation and cyberattacks, but soon escalated to open warfare by hiring Arasaka and Militech respectively.

Arasaka and Militech saw this as a chance to demonstrate their military prowess and make massive profits. For years they had cultivated a fierce rivalry, portraying themselves as diametrically opposed forces in a bid to drum up nationalist fervor and loyalty amongst their customers. Their leaders, Saburo Arasaka and Donald Lundee, harbored an intense personal hatred for one another.

After a year of deadlock between CINO and OTEC, Arasaka and Militech ramped up their involvement. They began covertly attacking each other's assets across the globe. Tensions finally boiled over in June 2022 into open combat. Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Night City became warzones. The fighting spread to orbit, disrupting space travel and commerce.

By late 2022, Southern California, the Republic of Texas, and the EEC began nationalizing Arasaka and Militech assets in their territories to quell the violence. Japan did the same, restricting Arasaka operations to within its borders only. Deprived of external support, Arasaka fortified its remaining stronghold in Night City.

In August 2023, a Militech strike team led by Morgan Blackhand infiltrated Arasaka Tower and detonated a small nuclear device, killing thousands of employees instantly. The resulting explosions and fires laid waste to much of central Night City. With Arasaka crippled globally, the war sputtered to an end by 2025.

The war left utter devastation in its wake. Tens of thousands were dead and cities had been reduced to irradiated rubble. The global economy was pushed to the brink, with food and energy production severely disrupted. Many regions took decades to recover.

Japan’s government seized control of Arasaka, limiting it to operate within the country only. This massive restriction of its power allowed rival megacorps to gain ground across the rest of the world. In the United States, President Elizabeth Kress utilized the war to expand her dictatorial powers, bringing Militech closer under governmental control to rebuild America as the New United States.

Night City became a lawless, economically devastated wasteland, setting the stage for gangs and organized crime to take over. Veterans of the war suffering from trauma and cyberpsychosis turned the city even more violent. The Arasaka Tower bombing displaced the corporate center of power, allowing the rapid expansion of the Combat Zone into deserted areas.

The Fourth Corporate War left a lasting impact on the Cyberpunk world. It exemplified how megacorps had grown overconfident in their power, wreaking global havoc in their squabbles for more wealth and control. With national governments weakened, corporate power seemed unassailable. The war also bred intense anti-corporate sentiment as people realized how much the megacorps valued their lives.

In the postwar landscape, Arasaka and Militech continued to view each other as eternal enemies, both seeking revenge and the chance to finish their failed struggle. Saburo Arasaka spent decades plotting revenge, while Militech looked for any opportunity to kick Arasaka while it was down and permanently wipe them out. For the rest of the world, the war stood as a reminder of what happened when you let corporations pursue unchecked greed and ambition.
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