Retro Futurism in film and gaming. A vision of the future, from the past.

[@blacksun3884]

I've always found films like Alien and 2001 fascinating. The future still having CRT monitors, Cassettes, and Computers taking up entire rooms is a unique aspect of older science fiction that is just so strange. It's looking at the past's view of what the future will be and judging how we nailed it, failed it, or got at least part way there. We in 2020 aren't exploring the galaxy in commercial space travel yet nor do we have robots that are practically indistinguishable from humans but those technologies are slowly being worked on. We have a device that can fit terabytes of data into the same space as a coffee mug. CRT and discs are gone and replaced with LCD and virtual storage. It's cool to think about.

[@Durmomo0]

Even original Star Trek, though its bright and cheery, had data tapes and some physical screens. Though I believe the screens were smaller.

[@Thelango99]

LTO (Linear Tape Open) is still used for long term storage today.

[@mariairlete6754]

I think in the same way!

[@andrewreynolds912]

We still use magnetic tape and irl the computer indutry snd people are looking back into analog computers again, some YT channels take about this like hoe they could completely change everything.

[@Glitch-qj3nj]

Style

[@DaltonKevinM]

Perhaps it is because I was born in the 80s, but I find retro-futurism strangely comforting. Our modern era, along with its projection of the future comes across as cold and sterile, but 80s depictions feel cozy.

[@sharmashivanand]

So well said. I wish there was a time machine. I'd never want to come out of the 80's.

[@reverbthevocal421]

I’d say it has a similar feeling to brutalism, both of them have a sense of overwhelming power surrounding you.

[@TheRezro]

@@sharmashivanand And if you come there you would want come back...

[@acls1239]

I find it fascinating that we are so far advanced in our history that we are capable of saying contradictory words like ... retro futurism one implies the past and the other implies the future And the word itself It means the past and future

[@TheRezro]

It translate literally as Future of the Past.

[@konstantinrebrov675]

It's a parallel timeline.

[@HalNordmann]

Another couple of cool retrofuturistic games are: Event [0], taking place on a abandoned spaceship from alternate 1980s; upcoming Hardspace: Shipbreaker, which is about savaging old industrial-looking spaceships with a very analog UI in the menus.

[@luhertell]

I always come back to cassette futurism as my favorite aesthetic. I've watched this video like 5 times bcs I always end up searching up cassette futurism to see what exists out there

[@mr_indie_fan]

It's less of an aesthetic and more of a sub-genre but yeah, with it's cooler name (formicapunk) fits well as a deviant of cyberpunk

[@TheRezro]

@@mr_indie_fan The classic cyberpunk suffer on fact that it is both aesthetic and a genre.

[@SegaMario]

Saw this video on my Birthday today. The aesthetic is so charming. I wish today's boring aesthetics were mixed with the more radical aesthetics of yesteryear.

[@razorwave2250]

This channel is so underrated,

[@NazThReman]

What I found strange about the evolution of technology is that I started noticing that instead of embracing the technological improvements of what we already had we just leap-frogged over to the next innovation. In the 2000s I thought minidiscs were fucking cool, I saw a kid with one on the school bus when I was a kid, it looked so cutting edge, I was still rocking a cd player. Then all of a sudden mp3 players/iPods arrived and everyone on my bus wanted in solid state media players that could carry back then dozens of songs, Hell even I wanted one.

[@themanfromtheeast2048]

i love your take on this topic, well done indeed.

[@johnnysawyer290]

I was born in 2001 and I love retro futurism. It's probably because I grew up watching old movie and tv shows and read old comics.

[@chanmanthegreat1429]

fallout 4 was my introduction to retro-futurism and i love it! there is also a great animated movie called Planet 51!

[@sharmashivanand]

Lovely. I've just rediscovered my childhood ❤

[@jackerman0564]

Im glad I haved inspired you to make this video.

[@donovandelaney3171]

There are many concept cars from the 50's, 60's and 80's that have not been created yet. Someone will create them one day.

[@labor_mel]

excellent video, amazing intro. I was literally shocked when I saw you were a small channel. I might use a clip of this in my video essay, if i do ill tag you!

[@computer__eyez]

Masterful analysis on retro (cassette) futurism. Thank you!

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

Routine got some new info in the last few months. A new trailer reveal during Summer Game Fest 2022. They've switched engine from Unreal 4 to Unreal 5, and the legendary Mick Gordon is the audio director. They also made a statement on their website saying they're a 3 person team that was working on this game part time with a tight budget and they weren't happy with the game. They've also got a publisher helping them now.

[@rickybe]

You guys need to watch ‘Prophet’. Quite a recent B movie but wow did I connect to that futuristic 70s aesthetic. You will love it. Come back and let me know you thought about it.

[@romaingraphiste]

Thank you so much for this video. now i have some video games to test.

[@DeepFriedNeurons]

Good video, might cite in one of my episodes later, IDK

[@0rionPollux]

I'm confused; isn't retro futurism from early 50s to mid to late 70s? When I think 80s futurism, I think cyberpunk, neon, synthwave and beginning of digitalization

[@pspolygons]

Sure, Retrofuturism is generally regarded as a movement in the creative arts that started around that time. It's also a fairly general term which still applies to the topics in the video, but as you said, Cyberpunk, Neon, Synthwave could be regarded as sub-genres within Retrofuturism.

[@kfl16]

@@pspolygons nuketown in call of duty bo2 is retrofuturism I think

[@FilippoFontanella]

@@kfl16 atompunk

[@kfl16]

@@FilippoFontanella nah I think it’s retro futurism from the 60s the map is called nuketown 2025 which means they were imagining the future a long time ago

[@FilippoFontanella]

@@kfl16 that's absolutely Atompunk. No doubt about that! Go check it out! Retro futurism is much more linked to synthwave and cyberpunk, which are pretty different from Nuketown. An Example of retrofuturism in videogames is obviously Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon

[@rahulbhandari4847]

One more example of retrofuturism in gaming is BioShock.

[@LSK2K]

The least qualifying example of retrofuturism. You have examples such as Fallout and Control 2019

[@mr_indie_fan]

​@@LSK2Kbioshock is most certainly a qualifying example; it is the ultimate decopunk/oceanpunk story and gives a look into the future through the lense of the 1920s.

[@PizzaRatPicker]

Its inspiration System Shock is also a good example, but more in the cassette style.

[@TheRezro]

@@mr_indie_fan Yes. Oceanic cities were big thing in the 50's.

[@jordannsantos5246]

Thank you for your amazing take on Cassette Futurism! I wonder what your view is on Necrofuturism? ;-)

[@cimmeriabastardsword]

I Love the topic. You got a new subscriber!👍

[@Manlx42]

I want more videos like thissss

[@mrpotatohead34]

Routine is back baby!

[@ericribeiro1095]

Fascinante.

[@stephenstorti5225]

game called at 0:56

[@pspolygons]

Alien Isolation!

[@theblocksmith645]

Great video but fallout is iconic for its retrofuturism and post apocalyptic esthetic

[@FilippoFontanella]

That's atompunk boy

[@HighViewOfficial]

@@FilippoFontanella Atom punk is a form of retro futurism. Retro futurism is simply the depictions of the future influenced by the trends of an earlier era.

[@VoidPaul97]

Could Loki be considered some kind of retrofuturism? There's just something about the TVA using things like cassette players and dumb terminals that attract me. I don't know why, but it reminds me to Alien's aesthetic with a more office-like orientarion? IDK I just thought it was worth asking.

[@robbie_the_mastermind2176]

Are DVDs apart of this genre or is it more cyberpunk?

[@maverickfoxbmsn]

If I was the richest man in the world I would’ve made a 3 story mansion. And 3 underground basements the 2 lower levels would look very futuristic.

[@felipetorr148]

Hello, does anyone know from which art movement does Retro Futurism belong to? Like is it under or inspired from Futurism or Contemporary Art?

[@coreypatton6290]

Evangelion is an example of cassette futurism right?

[@DiAna-rx6kp]

Sorry, but I always thought Akira is cyberpunk, sometimes is kind of difficult to see the differences.

[@tankieflanker4119]

I mean, eh. The general feel of the technology & atmosphere feels more akin to a proto-Cyberpunk, rather than full on Cyberpunk or just Cassette futurism.

[@mr_indie_fan]

I have an explanation and im gonna put it to you the simple way: every story has a Begining - Watchdogs 2 (Nowpunk) Middle - Akira (Formicapunk aka cassette futurism) And End - Neuromancer (Full on cyberpunk) Nowpunk starts the cycle, formicapunk is the middle of the cycle and by the end you have cyberpunk! (And if you turn that cyberpunk world into a semi-utopia somehow you have the prolouge; cyberprep)

[@mr_indie_fan]

​@@tankieflanker4119Formicapunk (Cassette futurism) itself is proto Cyberpunk. It comes after Nowpunk, but before Cyberpunk.

[@HealthySkepticism1775]

I heard Rollercoaster Tycoon laugh

[@Ахриманстоппер]

and best idea for gaming last 10 years is vr london heist, shark encounter, first 5 mins of horizon. maybe some swords fighting, boxing, and offcourse impressive mantions of hitman vr. and thats it. its much beter than 100500 hours of gameplay noone gives a shit about. just 5 minutes of awesomly made "vr magazine pictures" like an album from 80s you switch page and there is a totally different but awesomely artfully made small story. 5 MINS

[@jillkernaghan5216]

HEY

[@pspolygons]

daddy yay

[@mikk.t.7824]

Hi

[@Ахриманстоппер]

its not about casettes and buttons, trust me 🤣 NO. its about emotions of listing a magazine from 70s. if you understand 😅

[@wulver810]

Not sure I like the term retro futurism. What is retro? 20 years ago? Don't get me started with "retro" games, because that label is hardly applicable to how it is used. "Cassette" is too narrow and "retro" is too broad.

[@Roxor128]

While 20 years is a good ballpark, I think it has to do more with memory. Retro is old enough that you go "Oh, yeah, that was a thing!" when you get reminded of it. For operating systems, Windows 2000 and ME are retro, Windows XP is a maybe, and Windows Vista is a no. I'm reluctant to move XP into "retro" because I still use it in a virtual machine to get stuff done, but it's definitely going past merely old. If you want to call it retro, I'm not going to argue with you about it, though.

[@Ахриманстоппер]

retrofuturism is awesome course they felt the atmosphere of that life real. even analogue 80s tv style dashboards at some "escape from new york" ant toy spaceship in "alien 1" feels more futuristic and realistic than any modern futurism 😂 and they cant find any beter ideas than syd mead or kubrik at odyssey 2001 or even elyseum orbit spacebase. each drawned by hand picture of frazetta hame more story in it than whole modern hollywood alltigether x last ten years 😂 youre done, total degeneration

[@Ахриманстоппер]

once ive read some book of poland futurist from 50-70s about some spaceship had disaster on some planet and they were digging out way from crash with a SHOWELS, connected wires at some door at spaceship to open it, and even this obvious stupidity of useind showels or wires(like its no microelectronics plate you cand coil in future with bare hands etc) felt more futuristic and soulful than those games 🤣 really. its completely have no soul inside.

[@Ахриманстоппер]

im not trying to insult or so, really - all this games SUCK comparable to some fkn album of pictures from syd mead or so 😅 its not even futurism, its a complete garbage. it have nothing inside, no meaning, no story, no emotions, no will, no soul no nothing except some cgi outlook someone tryed to represent. 100% garbage