system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[The One] How did this universe have such advanced technology compared to other universes?

Everyone else is in the 90's, while this one universe has advanced technology, with universe hopping tech, etc.

It can't take place in the future, otherwise the characters would be of a different age.
gpt
If you go by the idea that there is a multiverse, then some of those universes are going to advance faster. Say the Roman Empire doesn't collapse, so engineering in that universe isn't set back several hundred years in Europe,  etc. Different choices or events get different results.