"Fallout: New Vegas Devs Eye Return to Obscure Series"

Obsidian Entertainment's CEO has expressed a strong interest in a lesser-known Microsoft IP. Dive into the details to discover why this franchise has piqued the curiosity of the renowned RPG studio.

Obsidian CEO Wants to Bring Shadowrun to Life

Fallout is Cool and All, But…

In an engaging interview with Tom Caswell on his podcast, Obsidian's CEO Feargus Urquhart shared his enthusiasm for a non-Fallout Xbox IP he'd love to explore. While the studio is currently immersed in projects like Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2, Urquhart's passion for Shadowrun is unmistakable.

"I love Shadowrun. I think it’s super cool," Urquhart exclaimed. Following Microsoft's acquisition, he requested a comprehensive list of IPs, which expanded significantly with the addition of Activision's catalog. However, Shadowrun stood out as the franchise he most wants to work on. "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 immersive sequels within established franchises. From their work on Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II and Neverwinter Nights 2 to Fallout: New Vegas and Dungeon Siege III, they've consistently shown a knack for expanding and enriching existing universes. Even with their original titles like Alpha Protocol and The Outer Worlds, their legacy remains deeply connected to renowned RPG series.

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 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 it's unclear how Urquhart and Obsidian envision expanding the Shadowrun universe, fans can be confident that their beloved world would be in capable hands if Obsidian secures the license. Urquhart's personal connection to the franchise is evident: "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 the cyberpunk-fantasy world it portrays. 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 its acquisition of FASA Interactive in 1999.

In recent years, Harebrained Schemes developed several Shadowrun games, but fans are eagerly anticipating a new, original entry. The last standalone Shadowrun game, Shadowrun: Hong Kong, was released in 2015. Remastered versions of previous titles were released for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC in 2022, yet the community's thirst for a fresh Shadowrun experience remains unquenched.