Ever since the last big war the world has not been the same. The causalities had not been the reason. They easily could have been. Call it human greed or clever management. It does not really change a thing. After the bombs fell they changed the surface of earth, instead of once big cities only craters remained. Still generals believed they could win. In the end there was nobody left to fight; and no place to fight for. Then the real change happened.

As it is human nature, there are those who make a profit of everything. So why should it have been different then? As the power of the sovereign states was reduced almost into nothingness, other powers raised. Corporations, cleverly hiding while the disaster was happening emerged. Not all of them on the side of the law. The former powers could only look as the corporations took over what once was theirs.

By that time most had actually been grateful for the change as for once territorial conflicts had not been happening anymore. Soon it was evident however that the conflicts had not been gone. They were just happening on a different scale - economy.

As a side effect, science was pushed to its limit. The hidden warfare cost the corporations sums a human mind can hardly grasp.
Bio technology, computer science, to name just two.
Soon merges had been a daily business. Some intentional, but most forced. On the bright side luxury was an easy thing. If you got the money.

Eat or be eaten. A mentality needed to survive under these conditions. Staying neutral is not really an option. Of course you can decide to keep out of the mega corps ways. But that will also mean that you will stay out of their money. There are not many freelancers. At least not many that are still alive. Only organized crime does have a real chance against the corps, but even they don't dare to challenge them directly.

This is the world we life in. Enjoy it - if you can.