Shadowrun (IP)
And you thought the Pandemic was Bad.
Shadowrun is a near-future science-fantasy setting where cybernetics, sorcery, corporate politics, and the world’s secret history take a different meaning. Currently, Shadowrun is owned by Topps, Inc (External Link), and published by Catalyst Labs (External Link). The game is based on creative and extensive use of a D6 system, and has been published since 1989.
The Basics: Setting & Game
The Shadowrun Setting is a meta-history, scifantasy setting that began, in-canon, on December 24, 2011, when the world Awakened. You are a Shadowrunner sometime after that. Narratively, the 2012 Mayan apocalypse happened. Magic started working again, and a dragon was sighted over Mount Fuji. People started giving birth to Elves and Dwarves, technology naturally progressed, and cities became the sprawls we know. Later, Orcs and Trolls started showing up in the genome, and eventually a dragon took over BMW, turning it into Europe’s premier megacorp and governing authority.
A (Brief) History of the IP
Initially designed by Paul Hume, Bob Charrette, and Tom Dowd, the first Shadowrun book launched on 1989, with the Shadowrun, 1st Edition. Shadowrun has had several publication sources and versions since. The following list contains the published material for TTRPG use of the setting:
- 1st Edition (1989): The late 1980’s original. Set in 2050.
- 2nd Edition (1992): Updated rules and timeline to 2053.
- 3rd Edition (1998): Introduction of archetypes, including Rigger Updated timeline to 2060.
- 4th Edition (2005): Introduced Wireless Matrix and unified dice pools.
- 5th Edition (2013): The most current edition. Timeline set to 2075.
- 6th Edition (2019): Streamlined... somewhat controversially.
- 6th World Companion & Edge Mechanic Overhaul (2021+): Licensed creations of the Shadowrun IP into other systems.
