New Vegas Devs Seek Forgotten Franchise Revival

Obsidian Entertainment's CEO has expressed strong interest in developing a lesser-known Microsoft game franchise. This article explores why this particular IP has caught the eye of the acclaimed RPG studio.

Obsidian's CEO Wants to Breathe Life into Shadowrun

Beyond Fallout: A New Frontier

In a recent podcast interview with Tom Caswell, Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart revealed his top choice for a non-Fallout Xbox franchise to develop. While the studio, renowned for *Fallout: New Vegas* and *The Outer Worlds*, is currently focused on projects like *Avowed* and *The Outer Worlds 2*, Urquhart clearly stated his enthusiasm for Shadowrun.

"I love Shadowrun. I think it's incredibly cool," Urquhart declared, explaining that he requested a list of Microsoft IPs following the company's acquisition of Obsidian. The subsequent addition of Activision and its vast library further expanded the possibilities, yet Urquhart remained focused on one specific IP. "If I had to choose just one, it would be Shadowrun," he confirmed.

Obsidian has established itself as a master of crafting compelling sequels within established franchises. Although they've successfully created original worlds with titles like Alpha Protocol and The Outer Worlds, their legacy is intrinsically linked to 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 consistently demonstrates its ability to expand existing universes.

In a 2011 interview with Joystiq, Urquhart offered insight into the studio's preference for sequels: "RPGs frequently have sequels because you can continually build upon the world and create new narratives. From that perspective, developing sequels is advantageous because you get to explore someone else's established world."

How Urquhart and Obsidian envision expanding the Shadowrun universe remains to be seen. However, securing the license would undoubtedly place the beloved franchise in highly capable hands. The CEO himself is 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."

Shadowrun's Past and Potential

Shadowrun's history is as complex as its cyberpunk-fantasy setting. Originating as a tabletop RPG in 1989, it has spawned numerous video game adaptations. Following FASA Corporation's closure, the pen-and-paper rights changed hands several times, but the video game rights remained with Microsoft after its acquisition of FASA Interactive in 1999.

Harebrained Schemes has developed several Shadowrun games recently, but fans eagerly anticipate a new, original installment. 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, but the community's desire for a fresh Shadowrun experience remains strong.