Difference Between Cyberpunk and Steampunk

Both cyberpunk and steampunk are subgenres within the science fiction category, even both subgenres are related to technology and its advances. Difference Between Cyberpunk and Steampunk

Many movies, anime, video games, fashions and even songs have been inspired by cyberpunk and steampunk; However, it is good to know that these two subgenres are different and in some cases we can even find fans who get angry and we confuse them.

If you want to know a little more about it, keep reading, because below we will explain what the difference between steampunk and cyberpunk is.

CYBERPUNK  Difference Between Cyberpunk and Steampunk

Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction characterized by futuristic themes and the presence of advanced technology. It focuses on the development of science and technology and how these two elements influence human nature and the lifestyle of people within society.

In this case, the emphasis is on computers and robots, but there are exceptional cases where they are not. Likewise, there is almost always a dystopian vision of society in which the latter is threatened with being destroyed by wars or by technology. Generally, the social order is in complete chaos.

In addition, the theme of freedom and the dichotomy between will and destiny are recurring themes in everything that has to do with cyberpunk. If it is about stories (in movies, books, anime …), almost always an antihero appears who is part of the system but must take justice into his own hands and solve crimes.

STEAMPUNK

Steampunk shares some similarities with cyberpunk, but unlike the latter, the former is located in the 19th century; century of the industrial revolution and steam engines.

It presents an aesthetic reminiscent of the steam engines of the Victorian Era. Sometimes the plot takes place in the old west of the United States or in an alternate reality related to the aforementioned century.

Generally, the steampunk world is full of anarchism and everyone looks out for their own interests. The important thing here is “what the past would be like if the future had come earlier.”

Key differences 

• Cyberpunk focuses on dystopias, while steampunk focuses on anarchism.
• Steampunk is set in the 19th century and how it would have been if everything had been more futuristic, while cyberpunk focuses on the future in which science and technology play an important role.

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• Renaissance and Middle Ages