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Fallout Devs to Revive Forgotten Franchise

by Lucy Jun 05,2023

Fallout: New Vegas Devs Want to Work on Obscure Series

Obsidian Entertainment’s CEO has expressed keen interest in a lesser-known Microsoft intellectual property. Read on to learn more about why this series has captured the attention of the acclaimed RPG studio.

Obsidian CEO Wants to Bring Shadowrun to LifeFallout is Cool and All, But…

During an interview with Tom Caswell on his podcast, Obsidian’s CEO Feargus Urquhart was asked what non-Fallout Xbox IP he’d like to work on. The studio, known for their work on Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds, is currently busy with projects like Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2, but Urquhart has made it clear that Shadowrun is a franchise he’d love to explore.

"I love Shadowrun. I think it’s super cool," Urquhart stated, adding that he requested a list of Microsoft IPs shortly after the company’s acquisition. With the recent addition of Activision and its extensive catalog, the list of potential projects they could work on increased. Nevertheless, Urquhart honed in on one IP in particular. "If you had to pin me down on one, yes, Shadowrun is the one," he stated.

Fallout: New Vegas Devs Want to Work on Obscure Series

Obsidian Entertainment has carved a niche for itself in the gaming industry by crafting remarkable sequels within existing franchises. While they’ve undoubtedly proven their ability to create original worlds with Alpha Protocol and The Outer Worlds, their legacy is deeply intertwined with renowned RPG series. From their work on Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II and Neverwinter Nights 2 to Fallout: New Vegas and Dungeon Siege III, Obsidian has consistently demonstrated a talent for expanding existing universes.

In a 2011 interview with Joystiq, Urquhart offered insightful into 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."

How Urquhart and Obsidian envisions expanding the Shadowrun universe remains uncertain. However, if the studio were to secure the license, fans of the RPG can rest assured that their beloved world would be in competent hands. The CEO himself confessed to being a long-time fan of the tabletop RPG: "I bought the book when it first came out. I probably own four of the six editions."

What Happened to Shadowrun?

Fallout: New Vegas Devs Want to Work on Obscure Series

Shadowrun's history is as complex as the cyberpunk-fantasy realm it resides in. Originating as a tabletop RPG in 1989, it has subsequently generated numerous video game adaptations. While the pen-and-paper rights have experienced multiple ownership transitions since FASA Corporation's demise, the video game rights have remained with Microsoft following its acquisition of FASA Interactive in 1999.

Harebrained Schemes has created several Shadowrun games in recent years, but enthusiasts fervently anticipate a novel, original installment. The most recent standalone Shadowrun game, Shadowrun: Hong Kong, was released in 2015. Rejuvenated versions of earlier titles were assembled for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC in 2022, but the community's yearning for a novel Shadowrun experience endures.

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