Maelstrom is one of the deadliest and most feared gangs in Night City, but so many fans know nothing about them!

Many know the Cyberpunk 2077 gang Maelstrom as being the deadly tech-loving insane psychopaths they face on multiple occasions. However, there is so much more to this interesting and nightmarish gang than meets the eye, their lore is super interesting as well as rich!

Ultimately, fans are unaware of the goings-on both behind the scenes and before Night City became what players see it as now. They have a rich history that is guaranteed to make your skin crawl but also reveal a hidden intelligence and organization that even V wouldn’t expect from these murderous villains that plague the corrupt and a little buggy Night City.

10 They’re Horrific

One of the best ways to tell if V is up against danger is to figure out what gang they belong to. When it’s Maelstrom they know they’re in for a gruesome death if they don’t win. Although winning is never easy when the player comes up against a high-level Maelstrom, especially since most of them barely have any human left in them!

This is because Maelstrom is famous for brutally murdering their victims, often burying them in cement or dismembering them. Whenever they can Maelstrom will get violent, almost insanely violent as they just love dancing with technological insanity.

9 Not Their First Name

Interestingly, Maelstrom didn’t start as the same gang fans know and love. They initially began as an equally as ferocious group called Metal Warriors which was a booster gang that was almost wiped out by the Inquisitors.

During this time they took in members from the Red Chrome Legion and Ironsights since they all shared a hatred for the Inquisitors. This is exactly why Maelstrom has such a huge hatred for the Inquisitors and will more often than not attack them on sight. Metal Warriors felt like a fitting name since they are so covered in tech but Maelstrom is much more catchy.

8 Not The Biggest Gang

While many gangs pride themselves on their huge numbers, whereas Maelstrom prefers to work in smaller groups, having a gang size of only around 1,300 members. This is extremely different from the over 10,000 members of The Aldecaldos.

However, they don’t need numbers to prove their power, they already do that just by looking the way they do and acting as aggressive and crazy as everyone in Night City sees them as. Nevertheless, it’s surprising they don’t have more since everyone seems to be addicted to Cyberware in this game.

7 They’ve Had 4 Leaders

Going by the names of Hammer, Simon “Royce” Randall, Declan “Brick” Griffin, and Ofelia “Patricia” Sirawian, Maelstrom has had its fair share of leaders all within a relatively short amount of time. But, it’s not like these changes were democratic at all and mostly involved murder.

Unlike other gangs, the bosses of Maelstrom are created by a vicious fight or disagreement, something that is really expected with this terrifying gang. They seem to go through leaders quicker than anyone, showing there’s a considerable amount of conflict in their ideals and morals.

6 Not Only In Cyberpunk 2077

Many people assume the first taste of Cyberpunk came in the most recent game. However, they’d be wrong since there’s actually a Sourcebook (1991), and two pen and paper RPG’s called Cyberpunk 2020 (1991), and Cyberpunk Red (2019). Interestingly, all these involve this rather renowned Maelstrom.

This just goes to show how ruthless and well-known this gang actually is! As well as making sure any fan of Maelstrom can look further than the newest game and discover new content and new lore about their favorite gangs and characters.

5 They’re Obsessed With Technology

It’s a well-known fact that Maelstrom is obsessed with implanting the latest or rarest technology into themselves to make them practically indestructible. However, this love and obsession runs deeper than the game lets on and is much more destructive to their bodies and minds.

They are known for using so much Cyberware that it actually drives them insane with a third of them classing as Cyberpsychos. another third being on the borderline. They really seem to love dancing with insanity and just see human flesh as weak and pointless.

4 They’re Extremely Organised

While Maelstrom are undeniably crazy they are actually surprisingly organized! This gang of 1,300 people splits itself into factions that all handle a certain aspect of their activities. For example, one faction solely works on protection gigs, others focus on smuggling, one on collecting debts, and so on.

Each member has their own job and role in the gang, something other gangs certainly miss and something that makes Maelstrom so revered and respected in the criminal underworld of Night City. It also makes them work extremely well as a team as well as making sure they’re making money everywhere.

3 Limited Territory

Since Maelstrom are smaller than many thought it comes as no surprise that they don’t hold much territory, but every gang and fan knows that no one would dare take it away from them.

They own the while of the Watson District, mainly hanging around the industrial sites. Now it is worth noting that the Watson District is pretty huge compared to other places in Night City but it’s shocking to see just how little they own! But most fans can agree, if they wanted more, they could get it easily.

2 Incredibly Smart

While they’re deadly, organized, and extremely insane, they’re also incredibly smart since they’ve managed to avoid capture or even prosecution by always keeping their crimes so low in the underworld that even the NCPD cant convict them due to lack of evidence.

This sort of intelligence and cunning action is particularly prominent in their braindance production in the black market. They’re rumored to create a sort of numbness that places the user in a numb state of mind and relaxes them. Although despite this they have still never been prosecuted for it.

1 They Own A Club

Known as Totentanz and located in the Northside Industrial District, Maelstrom owns one of the most popular, and most violent clubs in Night City. It’s the place to go if the player is into metal and a good old-fashioned bar fight.

It’s such a violent club that the NCPD and the ambulance crew both refuse to enter, the latter because the amount of death and injury meant the hospitals were losing money. It’s also a pretty good way to keep other gangs and their own members in line, letting them release some steam in a safe place.