Science fiction is a theme that is not only popular in movies and books, but also in video games. Developers have discovered the genre of the future and throw the players into bizarre worlds of the future. But what is currently in vogue in sci-fi video games? Are there "typical" elements? Or has science fiction never really developed?
A brief look at the beginnings of sci-fi
Science fiction is not a genre that has only existed for a few years. In fact, as early as the 19th century, authors from all over the world were dealing with the question of where science could advance. Famous representatives of the beginnings of sci-fi are the French author Jule Vernes, who is known for works such as "Journey to the Center of the Earth" or "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea", and his British colleague H.G. Wells, to whom we owe "The Time Machine" and "War of the Worlds", among other things.
Science fiction in video games
Science fiction has been present in video games from an early stage. Games like "Space Invaders" or "Galaga" have already brought a futuristic touch to arcade machines in the 1980s and later to home computers and consoles. Admittedly, these games were far from what "Cyberpunk 2077" has to offer, but without such pioneers, sci-fi video games would probably not be as widespread today.
The 80s and 90s were a golden age for sci-fi, partly because movies like "Blade Runner", "Terminator" and "Alien" were running in the cinemas. Many game developers secured licenses to bring games matching the movies to the market. Popular themes were space battles, aliens and artificial intelligence back then.
How is science fiction currently represented in video games?
If you want to see how the sci-fi influence in video games has changed over the years, a look at three games from the past few months is enough. Because both "Cyberpunk 2077" and "Cloudpunk" and "The Ascent" combine a whole range of current science fiction elements.
