So ive been noticing during my latest playthrough that nearly all of the political figures like rosland the saka family all are pretty minimalist when it comes to cyberware hanako having the most of all 4. My leading theory is lowing the risk of cyberpsychosis as much as possible explains to me why they would keep their chrome on the dl. But im curious what you all think the reason might be!
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Honestly just feels like a power move. Like a symbol they are powerful without it.
I think your reasoning is a good one, I also think it’s because they have so much money they can pay to make it really well hidden.
1. do you know how old they are?
2. why have cyberware when they have security?
The reason is because
Reading most of the comments I can point out an imaginary money to amount of cyberware bell curve.
Cyberpsychosis isn’t really much of an issue – at least for those who have the money. While the root cause of it is still a mystery, it’s very much treatable – even in the most extreme cases, it’s just MaxTac units couldn’t be bothered to capture cyberpsychos alive.
Answering your question, I think the reason is that they can afford to have the most modern and the most human-like cybernetics out there. If you think about it, there are three groups who have very visible implants: those who can’t afford RealSkin (which is an extra to most implants), those who want their implants to be visible because of the style (Lizzy Wizzy), and edgerunners who need top notch, military-grade cybernetics. Most of the politicians and corporate leaders don’t fall in these groups. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have them. I’m pretty sure someone like Saburo likely has like 90% of his organs substituted with either cybernetics or artificially grown stuff, so he can extend his lifetime way past natural limitations.
I am sure they have plenty. They can just afford to have it implanted in a subtle way so that they are still perceived as perfect and attractive. Most people have to go to Ripperdocs, who only have crude material compared to Corpo surgeons.
I think it has to do with demographics. If they have too much, they may isolate potential voters who look down their noses at chrome addicts. If they have none at all, it’ll seem like they’re discriminating. I think they utilize just enough, even if it’s cosmetic only, to relate to as many people as possible and attract potential supporters.
Probably cause its the most top of the line stuff. I’m sure they are decked out with chrome, but it’s just so well made they can look lifelike.
It’s pretty much a combination of avoiding cyberpsychosis and having better access to things like real looking skin implants to hide it
For the same reasons that the big tech people that created social media and its algorithms irl didn’t let their kids use it
same reason (most) real world politicians tend to be fairly conservative in how they dress. because its safe, inoffensive, and has broad appeal.
fashion (such as visible cyberware) makes a statement, sometimes an unintended one, or one that can be twisted and blown out of proportion (remember obamas tan suit and the manufactured outrage that caused)
Easier to simply avoid all that, and stick with the classics (obviously adjusted for where you are, saburo wearing a kimono makes sense since he spends most of his time in japan, and that is THE traditional look. Yorinobu goes with a more classic western look, because he spends most of his time dealing with western nations. Hanako can get away with being a little more fashionable because as a woman thats somewhat ‘expected’ of her, but she still keeps it relatively subtle and minimal.)
Cause they can afford the good shit that doesn’t look like chrome.
First of, those are corpos, not political figures. And they are the top of the top.
Second reason is money really. Most cyberware are used as job enhancements. Be it as a merc or bodyguard, or as a construction worker (as seen on game). Rippers tend to enhance themselves for precision medical hands like Vic, and whores use personality chips.
These people don’t need any of that. You can even see Horinobo using a physical phone in the game, meaning he doesn’t even have comms implants and maybe not even kiroshis
I feel like it’s similar to tattoos in our world. If you have em don’t let ‘em be seen esspecially in politics
The higher market the chrome, the less obvious it is that you have it. The only exception to that are pure combat implants like Smasher’s entire body.
The vast majority of people are not rocking the kind of chrome you can tell from a mile away. You can also be pretty chromed out without it being all that visible.
It has nothing to do with cyberpsychosis.
It’s because chrome is a scam foisted upon them on the masses. Why would they need mantis blades or an insane cyberdeck that can blow someones head up from a mile away? who are they fighting? they have people to fight their battles for them. The only cyberware theyd need are large data processors. Most chrome is expensive, makes you go insane, is only good for either killing or hacking or otherwise doing things that they have people to do for them.
Only the poor and weak need chrome
It’s a status symbol
In a world where even random homeless on the street have cybernetic arms and legs, to have their bodies modified to look “pristine” is a power move. It’s them flexing how they didn’t “need” chrome to achieve their success. It’s them trying to tout their success as all natural.
I’ve always seen it as a status thing, where visible cybernetics are considered the non-elite and “common people” so to speak.
Similar to how real life billionaires dress like slubs and not in “high fashion”
They probably have a lot more bio-ware and some chrome that is top of the line, cannot be detected but still more powerful than anything on the market.
Yeah I think he had. He would have in order to interface with the soul extraction process.
But I think that its just very expensive so they can afford it.
It’s like tattoos, it’s a poor people thing
They don’t. They just have the money to get very minimally visible chrome.
For example, that’s definitely not Yori or Hanako’s original body/face. They’ve had so many modifications they appear in their 20s/30s. All of their muscles, likely chrome. All of their bones, probably chrome.
They have so much money they can keep themselves looking youthful and being probably as fit as ever for a very long time.
Saburo is much, much older than them. He’s probably so much older that technology just can’t make him look a lot younger than he does.
Same reason as why ripper docs (sane ones) themselves often minimize chrome use. Most of the time chromes are not good stuff in the first place.
I think they’ve got plenty, it just hides well when you’re rich.
Having visible chrome is… punk, I assume it would be like if a politician has nose and eyebrow rings with face tatoos
My thought is well maybe yes they pay to keep it hidden. But more so that they don’t need anything special. I mean Saburo was protected by Goro and Hanako had Oda. They don’t need weapons or advanced chrome. They can afford the best of the best to become chromed for them
I remember In Praise of Shadows making a point about cyberpunk media and body modifications that I broadly agree with, and that being that even when we have cybernetics on the level of what’s available in Cyberpunk, not everyone will be chromed the fuck up. Sort of like tattoos or piercings today, a piece here or there might be common, and occasionally you’ll come across people that go crazy with it, but for the most part it’ll be little pieces here and there that aren’t super out there.
Specifically in the case of the politicians of Cyberpunk; I suspect that they’re more modified than they appear, but can afford to keep their modifications subtle, no matter how extensive or extreme they are as a bit of a flex.
They do it’s just well hidden. Why do we make robots look like humans and try and give robots skin? We as humans like the look of humans, not robots. It’s harder to connect emotionally with someone that doesn’t look human. And in the game this is reflected, those with the most chrome showing are outcasts or not seen as normal
The real reason might be super disappointing and boring for some but I’ll explain it anyways.
In concept art, or any form of character design including 3D artists, if an artist wants to portray a powerful character in a futuristic or even modern setting they will usually if not always give those characters very little jewelry or accessories as a minimalist design is seen as classy and unapproachable. This also ties in with modern fashion as the ultra rich very rarely deck themselves out in fancy jewelry or even branded clothing. And not to sound like an art nerd but it is also, strangely enough, a sneaky way of intimidating their opponents as the high ranking members of the Arasaka family don’t need to show their extravagant cyberware because they are fully aware that they are (in theory lol) untouchable.
So basically:
crazy cyberware: a gaudy and cheap look that anyone can afford.
minimal cyberware: a sleek and luxurious look for the extremely wealthy.
In the tabletop game, the upgrades to cyberlimbs that make them look organic are among the most expensive.
I assume that’s the reason. The elite can simply afford the cyberware and medicine that allow them to look as normal as possible.
Hanako is like 78 and Yorinobu is 82, it might not look chrome like they have chrome but they definitely do; I’d just wager most of it is bioware, like biosculpts, is because looking like you just crawled out of a Ripperdoc’s chair isn’t very classy.
Probably something similar to quiet luxury or old money fashion irl. This [video](https://youtu.be/-eykSI2NziQ?si=jgCukn6ChKdKOJeV) explains it really well!
I think personally this is purely headcanon made up reasons lol. But like in our irl world rich people whether they notice or not love to distance themselves from the poor masses by constantly moving onto fad diets that are increasingly harder to maintain unless you have an affluent background, they have personal tailers and the newest tech that is out of reach for most people. In the Cyperpunk game universe I think they behave the same but since technology is so readily available they can’t flex or flaunt their wealth in that manner, so what’s left? Exotic materials for clothing, readily available health care. They can afford to maintain their fleshy body or maintain their ageless appearance to flex that even though poor people can also live longer now they can still live further and look younger beyond that.
Also all your examples are of one family that is essentially royalty so they also tend to maintain an aesthetic. Again to separate themselves from the filthy poors
With how old Saburo is, his insides are probably more chrome than Adam smasher.
same reason why the top 1% today never dress like they’re rich
They can afford to, similar to modern day stealth wealth style.
Premium high quality chrome with human-like aesthetic