# Socially Poignant Sci-Fi Games Neo Cab Envisions a Future Based on Current Economical Fears By Justin Lam | Published 2018-03-28 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/neo-cab References: [gizmodo](https://gizmodo.com/this-game-imagines-a-bleak-future-in-which-tech-compani-1824021429) & [neocabgame](https://www.neocabgame.com/) 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](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/death-stranding-2). In order to capture the feel of the game, the Neo Cab team interviewed gig workers from [Uber](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/uber-scaled-solutions), [Lyft](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/finishd-app), 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. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.4/10 - Popularity: 46% | Activity: 48% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/games) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Gig Economy Stress:** Disruptive innovation opportunity to create solutions or support systems for gig workers facing stress and fears in the gig economy. - **Immigration and Labor:** Disruptive innovation opportunity to explore the challenges and opportunities related to DACA and immigration in the labor market. - **Narrative-driven Gaming:** Disruptive innovation opportunity to develop immersive narrative-driven games that incorporate real-world social and economic issues. ### Where This Applies - **Video Games:** Disruptive innovation opportunity to design socially poignant games that address current economic fears and immigrant experiences. - **Ride-sharing Services:** Disruptive innovation opportunity to enhance the experience for ride-sharing drivers by addressing mental health and income stability. - **Entertainment:** Disruptive innovation opportunity to create compelling storytelling experiences that shed light on societal issues through interactive mediums like video games. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Stylized Cel-Shaded Shooting Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mycopunk.md) - [Gallery-Focused Heist Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/african-futurism.md) - [Immersive Action-Adventure Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mindseye-game.md) - [Social-Focused Childrens Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dragon-snacks-games.md) - [Monstrous Horror Video Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/horror-video-games.md) - [Impactful Gaming Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/humanity-games.md) - [Game-Inspired Electric Vehicles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/inception-ev.md) - [Futuristic Latin FPS Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/la-quimera.md) - [Web3 Sci-Fi Adventure Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/project-awakening.md)