[gumby]

FWIW the metaverse goes back to True Names, with cyberdeck roots in Web of Angels…

[dymax78]

and microtransactions in Ubik.... *shrug* I mentioned quintessential works rather than "origin stories" to avoid an inevitable "all work is derivative".

edit: True Names surely should have been added in my brief list.

[gumby]

I don’t think True Names is in any way cyberpunk. No mirrorshades vibe at all, which is part of its charm.

[mcpackieh]

I want to assume you're joking, but I've encountered people who earnestly think the essence of cyberpunk is the retro-80s neon aesthetic, so your comment is in Poe's Law territory for me.