R.Talsorian Games

Johnny Silverhand

Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0., later subtitled, The Classic Roleplaying Game of the Dark Future, is the second edition of the popular pen and paper RPG series Cyberpunk. The Game was designed by Mike Pondsmith and was an updated version of the original Cyberpunk 2013 rule set.

The Second edition was titled 2020 to reflect the updated setting of the year 2020. The Second edition was originally produced as a box set that included the rulebook and a supplementary screamsheet booklet, featuring information and several mini adventures.

Cyberpunk 2020 spawned numerous Sourcebooks and Adventurebooks and was followed up with the Firestorm series that moved the timeline to the year 2022 and the beginnings of the Fourth Corporate War.

In 2005 the series was followed up by an official sequel, Cyberpunk Version 3.0. In 2013 it was announced that an official video game sequel would be made by Polish developer, CD Projekt Red as well as an official fourth edition of the pen and paper RPG titled Cyberpunk RED.

Mike Pondsmith moved Cyberpunk into the 2020s for the second edition, with this updated setting came new world events, technology and characters as well as greatly expanding the existing world. The setting of Night City became a real world rather than the ambiguous near future city of Cyberpunk 2013 and many of the Corporations received fully fleshed out histories, and names for high level members. The Cyberpunk 2020 rulebook included almost everything from the first edition from the character roles to the Never Fade Away adventure with Johnny Silverhand. After the widespread publication of the book, the first edition, Cyberpunk 2013 became obsolete and Cyberpunk 2020 took its place as the primary way to play the game.

To start playing, first one must create their character. A Cyberpunk on the mean streets of Night City, working for whoever pays best, taking down local gangs or going up against multinational conglomerates, whatever it is you will need to prepare accordingly. In both Cyberpunk 2013 and 2020 there are nine primary character roles, each filling a specific niche. In the subsequent sourcebooks, many of these roles were greatly expanded upon to give location or scenario specific alternates.

The first printing of Cyberpunk 2020 was published in 1990 and like Cyberpunk 2013, came as a boxed set, featuring dice, the version 1.00 rule-book and the scream sheet supplementary booklet.

A Year later in 1991 the version 2.00 edition was released. It is assumed that this was just the standalone book release after the initial run of the box set. The Screamsheet booklet was included as part of the book.

Two years later in 1993 R.Talsorian Games published their 2.01 version of the core rulebook. Included are the screamsheets and character sheets as spelling and grammatical error fixes. The biggest new addition is the new artwork from the Italian printing of the book by Stratelibri. Creator Mike Pondsmith thanks Stratelibri as well as the team and artist that put it together.

After the 2013 reveal of the Cyberpunk 2077 video game R.Talsorian Games began production on a new printing of the Cyberpunk 2020 rule book. The new printing of the book is essentially the 2.01 version with slightly altered cover art. The book subtitle was changed to The Classic Role Playing Game of the Dark Future, the sign advertising the new artwork was removed, and the two horizontal white bars were removed from around the logo.

With the release of the first edition, Cyberpunk 2013, R.Talsorian Games also produced several supplementary sourcebooks, to give players a little bit more information on certain aspects of the game. Only four were produced and were nothing more than small, magazine sized booklets. In the coming years after 2020s initial release, dozens of Sourcebooks would be produced, detailing all aspects that were not covered by the original rulebooks. Everything from guides to Night City, America and the far East, to detailed reports on the various Corporations as well as several catalogue style books, giving players more choice in their fashion, technology and weapons.

As of 2018 the Box set is long out of print and is seldom seen on online auction websites, typically going for a large sum. However in 2013, after the announcement of the video game Cyberpunk 2077, R.Talsorian Games began a fourth printing. In mid 2018, after the E3 reveal of Cyberpunk 2077, the popularity surged once again with a high demand for the books and several more printings are planned throughout 2018.

PONDSMITH, M. Cyberpunk 2020. 2nd ed. Berkeley CA; R.Talsorian Games, 1990.

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