Dystopian futures are not uncharted ground for video games, but few manage to create as poignant a future as Neo Cab. Set in a cyberpunk SoCal border town, the game places players in an ominous world controlled by insidious conglomerates. The gameplay and story in Neo Cab center around Lina Romero, a young Mexican-America woman working as a driver for a ride-sharing service. Players will be placed in Romero's shoes and will be tasked with driving passengers around the city as well as maintaining a steady source of income and taking care of their mental health.
Neo Cab isn't like a traditional sci-fi game, as it ditches common tropes and instead focuses on the fears of the gig economy. In order to capture the feel of the game, the Neo Cab team interviewed gig workers from Uber, Lyft, Postmates and Zesty. The goal was to capture the stress, fears and emotional experience of working in this economy and will also tackle issues related to DACA and immigration.
Socially Poignant Sci-Fi Games
Neo Cab Envisions a Future Based on Current Economical Fears
Trend Themes
1. Gig Economy Stress - Disruptive innovation opportunity to create solutions or support systems for gig workers facing stress and fears in the gig economy.
2. Immigration and Labor - Disruptive innovation opportunity to explore the challenges and opportunities related to DACA and immigration in the labor market.
3. Narrative-driven Gaming - Disruptive innovation opportunity to develop immersive narrative-driven games that incorporate real-world social and economic issues.
Industry Implications
1. Video Games - Disruptive innovation opportunity to design socially poignant games that address current economic fears and immigrant experiences.
2. Ride-sharing Services - Disruptive innovation opportunity to enhance the experience for ride-sharing drivers by addressing mental health and income stability.
3. Entertainment - Disruptive innovation opportunity to create compelling storytelling experiences that shed light on societal issues through interactive mediums like video games.