The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic 28th century. In the mid 22nd century, tensions are rising between an expanded Chinese Empire, and a joint European/North American Federation of the Free World. The unexplained destruction of the first Chinese interstellar colony ship results in China launching devastating nuclear strikes with stealth missiles. Before all major Federation cities cease to exist, the President gives the command to counter strike with Cold Fusion long distance missiles. World War 3 started on February 17th 2143, it lasted less than 6 hours.

It takes over three centuries for even the most rudimentary civilization to return. By the mid 26th century two great cities had risen from the ashes, thanks in large part to the "Ceres Project”, which was initially an MIT project (it was later taken over by the military in response to the project leader being murdered) in the early 21st century, aimed at storing every aspect of human knowledge on holodisk.

200 years later, and both cities are but shadows of their former selves: Neocron is diminished thanks to a succession of coups d'état as well as a mass exodus to Irata III (a colony 80 light years away formed by the missing Chinese colony ship) and Dome of York suffers from losing a devastating war with Neocron.