Megacorporation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Megacorporation" is a term popularized by William Gibson derived from the combination of the prefix mega- with an abbreviation of the word corporation. It has become a term popularly used in cyberpunk literature. It refers to a corporation that is a massive conglomerate, holding monopolistic or near-monopolistic control over multiple markets (thus, it exhibits both horizontal and vertical monopoly). Megacorps are so powerful that they can ignore the law, possess their own heavily-armed (often military-sized) security forces, hold 'sovereign' territory, and possibly even act as an outright government. They often exercise a large degree of control over their employees, with the idea of 'corporate culture' taken to the extreme.
It is doubtful whether any true megacorps currently exist in the real world. Even the largest multinational corporations (MNCs) do not possess anywhere near the same level of direct power seen in the megacorps of cyberpunk literature. On the other hand powerful corporations like De Beers, General Electric, and Microsoft do control powerful monopolies in multiple, unrelated markets and the extent to which they are able to flout laws is debated. The South Korean chaebols and the Japanese Zaibatsu may come closest to fitting the role of megacorps in today's world, at least on a national level. Historically, there have been similarities between megacorps and the trading companies of the 17th and 18th century mercantilist period, such as the British East India Company.
[edit] List of fictional megacorps
- Arasaka, from the Cyberpunk 2020 role-playing game
- Comstar, from the Battletech science-fiction game franchise
- Ares Macrotechnology, from the Shadowrun role-playing game
- Blue Sun, from Firefly and Serenity
- Corporate Sector Authority, from the Star Wars universe
- Crayven Corporation, from the game Ground Control
- Czerka Corporation, from the Star Wars expanded universe
- DataDyne, from the Nintendo 64 game Perfect Dark
- Edgars Industries, from Babylon 5
- Eurocorp Syndicate, from Syndicate Wars
- Gadgetron, from Ratchet and Clank
- GenCorp, from Time Chasers
- GENOM, from Bubblegum Crisis
- GloboTech Industries, from the movie Small Soldiers
- Globodyne, from the movie Fun with Dick and Jane
- InterGalactic Banking Clan, from the Star Wars universe
- Jupiter Mining Corporation, from Red Dwarf
- LexCorp/LuthorCorp, Wayne Enterprises, Sivana Industries, and several others in the DC Universe.
- Liandri Corporation, from Unreal Tournament
- Ling-Standard Products, from Traveller (Role-Playing Game)
- Manchurian Global, from The Manchurian Candidate (Live action movie)
- Maximum Inc., from Phantom 2040
- Megacorp, from Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando
- Millenion, from the anime Gungrave
- Mimecom, from Wild Palms
- Momcorp, from Futurama
- Nergal Heavy Industries, from the anime Martian Successor Nadesico
- Ootori Corporation, from the anime Ouran High School Host Club
- Network 23, from Max Headroom (TV series), and its made for TV movie introduction 20 Minutes into the Future
- OMAR, from the video games Vigilante 8 and it's sequel Vigilante 8: Second Offense.
- Omni Consumer Products, from RoboCop and spinoffs
- Omni-Tek, from the sci-fi MMORPG Anarchy Online
- Page Industries, the Deus Ex videogame series
- Paradigm Corporation, from the anime The Big O
- PTMC, from the Descent series of video games
- RAMJAC, from Kurt Vonnegut's Jailbird
- Scorpia, from the Alex Rider book Scorpia
- Shinra Electric Power Company, from Final Fantasy VII
- Shuko Enterprises, from the live-action movie rendition of Double Dragon (film)
- Soylent Corporation, from Soylent Green
- The Transnats, from the Mars Trilogy, which eventually buy out whole countries
- TriOptimum Corporation, from the System Shock videogame series
- Tyrell Corporation, from Blade Runner
- Ultor Corporation, from the video games Red Faction, and its sequel Red Faction II
- Umbrella Corporation, from the Resident Evil franchise
- Union Aerospace Corporation, from the Doom
- USR Robotics, from I, Robot novel and movie franchise
- Vector Industries, from the Xenosaga videogame series
- Versalife Corporation, from the video game Deus Ex
- Virtucon, from Austin Powers
- Weyland-Yutani, from the Alien films and spinoffs.
- Winner Enterprises, Inc., from Gundam Wing
- Shai-Gen Corporation, from Crackdown
