10.9.2024

In the Cyber City Tycoon game, robots are not just background elements – they are the heart and soul of the game. When we started developing the game, robots were the obvious choice, because they could universally embody the game’s themes without cultural constraints. Human or animal characters could have brought nuances of interpretation, but robots are free of such preconceptions and can be identified by players around the world without any additional connotations.

Gaming robots gave us the possibility to create unique characters. Unlike with human characters, whose appearance and equipment could only be modified to a limited extent, the use of imagination was almost limitless.

Robots can be almost anything. Their appearance can convey the characteristics required by each area of cybercrime. One robot can represent brute strength, another can be a smooth charmer. Robots can be given the necessary human characteristics through clothing and design, without relying on stereotypes associated with human groups. For example, the ubiquitous Mail Man character immediately communicates his role as a message carrier. In this way, the character’s familiarity is based on this role, and misunderstandings about age, gender or appearance can be avoided.

The robots illustrate the relentlessness of cybercrime. In the game, this is highlighted by the factories run by robots. Cybercrime continues unabated in the game, just as it does in real life. Phishing messages are constantly being sent, and a person who is awake at dawn may be particularly vulnerable to romance scams.

There are also a bunch of little robots in the game that are “just” robots. Their job is to carry out the orders given to them. They are mechanical helpers with no will or character of their own.  

Instead, the robots that run the factories are intelligent and symbolise the ever-evolving field of artificial intelligence. AI is a tool that can be used for many purposes, both good and bad. As in all other areas of life, its use in cybercrime is advancing rapidly, and the game’s robot leader knows how to use the latest technologies to commit crimes

Check out Cyber City Tycoon and its robot characters that will make developing your cybersecurity skills fun and exciting. The final version of the game will be released in November 2024.

Get to know us at cyber-citizen.eu/en and network with us in LinkedIn as @Cyber Citizen.

Janne Riiheläinen, Cybersecurity Specialist