Obsidian Entertainment's CEO has expressed a strong interest in reviving a lesser-known Microsoft IP. Dive into the details to understand why this franchise has piqued the interest of the renowned RPG studio.
Obsidian CEO Wants to Bring Shadowrun to Life
Fallout is Cool and All, But…
In a recent interview on Tom Caswell's podcast, Obsidian's CEO Feargus Urquhart shared his enthusiasm for working on a non-Fallout Xbox IP. Despite being occupied with projects like Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2, Urquhart's passion for the Shadowrun franchise was unmistakable.
"I love Shadowrun. I think it’s super cool," Urquhart remarked. Following Microsoft's acquisition, he requested a list of available IPs, and even with the addition of Activision's catalog, Shadowrun stood out to him. "If you had to pin me down on one, yes, Shadowrun is the one," he affirmed.
Obsidian Entertainment has established itself as a master of crafting engaging sequels within established franchises. While they have successfully created original worlds with games like Alpha Protocol and The Outer Worlds, their reputation is closely tied to their work on iconic RPG series. From Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II and Neverwinter Nights 2 to Fallout: New Vegas and Dungeon Siege III, Obsidian has consistently shown their prowess in expanding existing universes.
In a 2011 interview with Joystiq, Urquhart explained the studio's affinity for sequels: "RPGs have a lot of sequels because you can keep on adding on to the world. You can keep on coming up with new stories. I think from that perspective, it’s great to be able to make these even if they’re sequels because you get to go play in someone else’s world."
While the specifics of how Urquhart and Obsidian would expand the Shadowrun universe are yet to be revealed, fans can be confident that their beloved world would be in expert hands. Urquhart himself is a long-time fan of the tabletop RPG, stating, "I bought the book when it first came out. I probably own four of the six editions."
What Happened to Shadowrun?
Shadowrun's history is as complex as its cyberpunk-fantasy setting. Originating as a tabletop RPG in 1989, it has inspired multiple video game adaptations. After FASA Corporation's closure, the pen-and-paper rights changed hands several times, while Microsoft retained the video game rights following their acquisition of FASA Interactive in 1999.
Harebrained Schemes has been behind recent Shadowrun games, but the community is eager for a new, original entry. The last standalone game, Shadowrun: Hong Kong, was released in 2015. Although remastered versions of earlier titles were released for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC in 2022, fans continue to yearn for a fresh Shadowrun experience.
