Between reality and simulation: Baudrillard’s hyperreality and Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty’s construction of intercultural space

This article examines Dog Town in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty through the theoretical framework of Jean Baudrillard’s concepts of simulacra and hyperreality. The study explores how this digital game environment functions as a hyperreal intercultural space in which elements of different cultures, architectural styles, and urban symbols are synthesized into a coherent but fictional model of multicultural reality. The relevance of the research lies in the growing role of digital media in shaping contemporary intercultural perception and cultural awareness. The aim of the article is to determine how Dog Town constructs a hyperreal version of multiculturalism and how this construction influences the understanding of intercultural communication in the context of globalization. The methodology combines qualitative visual and spatial analysis of the game environment with a theoretical interpretation based on Baudrillard’s concept of simulation. The results show that Dog Town does not represent authentic multicultural reality but produces a persuasive digital simulacrum that shapes players’ perceptions of cultural diversity, globalization, and intercultural interaction. The study concludes that digital game spaces should be understood as active agents in the production of cultural meanings and as important sites for the formation of intercultural awareness in the hyperreal age.