Let's not talk about how billionaires misread the dystopian cyberpunk novels and media as a to-do list, in fact there's a pretty good video essay explaining it here, instead we'll talk about the appeal of the niche to the general population.
Neon lights, tall buildings, flying cars, big corporations controlling the world and street gangs. In my experience that's usually the first thing that comes in mind for most apolitical or non-politically engaged people when you mention the trigger words "sci-fi future" or "cyberpunk dystopia", with a few exceptions primarily due to George Orwell's 1984 mostly because of the increased awareness of the rise of fascism in the U.S. Even if it feels deep rooted, it's still a pretty early genre with traces aging back to the early 19th century.
So why does this trigger an escapism, almost longing feeling for many people when most universes clearly state how corrupt, derelict, dystopic and destroyed their respective worlds are? Simple. As more comparisons grow clearer and clearer that many of these dystopic settings are not far from the present day reality, many protagonists from these universes feel initially relatable to the everyday person, the hurdles, the despair, whilst at the same time, they are constantly seizing back power from the ruling class, giving a feeling of reclaiming your life back from a fascist/totalitarian environment (i.e. Blade Runner., Cyberpunk 2077) albeit not always with a happy ending. This rollercoaster of taking and losing power gives a full package of emotion to the average person that is too afraid, uncertain or unwilling to strive for a change in the real world.
The small "retribution" moments in those settings are the perfect hook for anyone trying to escape the political and social reality of today. Let's live an example together with the below clip from Cyberpunk 2077.
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