Short Circuit

Short Circuit is a term that refers to both a combat quickhack in Cyberpunk 2077 and a bar located in Night City.

Short Circuit in Cyberpunk 2077

Short Circuit is a Combat Quickhack in Cyberpunk 2077. It is a Tier 1 combat quickhack that deals Electrical damage and deals increased damage against mechs, robots, drones, and turrets. The Tier 2 variant increases the duration of Control quickhacks by 3 seconds. The Tier 3 variant increases damage by 10% for each stack of Cyberware Malfunction. The Tier 4 variant adds an EMP effect that deals damage over time for 3 seconds. The Tier 5 variant adds 20% increased damage against low threat level enemies. All variants can be obtained through Breach Protocol.

Short Circuit Bar

Short Circuit was a bar located in the Medical Center district of Central Night City, specifically on the top floor of the Barbican Building in 2020. The bar catered mostly to netrunners and techies, with street-smart bouncers ensuring adherence to the dress code. It featured booths with interface jacks for netrunners and a rotating floor for panoramic views of the city. In the early 2010s, Livewire had a small shop in Short Circuit, which later became a notable software manufacturer known as Argus. Despite issues with recruitment, Short Circuit continued to function, with Livewire aiming to keep the bar out of corporate business. The bar was severely damaged during the Night City Holocaust of 2023 and was subsequently abandoned. A new establishment named after Short Circuit was opened in 2040 as an homage.

Short Circuit in Little Europe

Short Circuit is also a bar located in the Little Europe district of central Night City. It was located on the top of the Barbican Building in the 2020s and was severely damaged during the Night City Holocaust, leading to its abandonment. In 2040, Brain and 3-Piece built a new establishment in Little Europe, with 3-Piece using a portion of the third floor as a Night Market. The bar became a favorite haunt for techies and netrunners by 2045, with Zhirafa drones monitoring the entrance to prevent dangerous items from entering. The building is a reinforced three-story structure close to the Hot Zone, featuring a sizable exterior elevator and secured by patrolling Zhirafa drones operated by netrunners. The first floor serves drinks to techies, the second floor is occupied by netrunners, and the third floor contains a private family apartment and Brain's workshop. Access to Short Circuit requires prior customer status, and items sold include tech parts and cyberdecks.