Fallout: New Vegas Devs Want to Work on Obscure Series

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 New 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, celebrated 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 acquisition of Activision significantly expanded this list, yet Urquhart's preference remained firm. "If I had to choose just one, yes, it would be Shadowrun," he confirmed.

Obsidian has established a reputation for crafting compelling sequels within established franchises. While their original creations, such as Alpha Protocol and The Outer Worlds, demonstrate their capacity for world-building, their legacy is deeply rooted in expanding existing RPG universes. From Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II and Neverwinter Nights 2 to Fallout: New Vegas and Dungeon Siege III, Obsidian consistently showcases its expertise in enriching established worlds.

In a 2011 interview with Joystiq, Urquhart explained the studio's attraction to sequels: "RPGs lend themselves to sequels because you can continuously expand the world and create new narratives. From that standpoint, developing sequels is beneficial, as it allows us to explore pre-existing universes."

How Urquhart and Obsidian envision a Shadowrun expansion remains to be seen. However, should they secure the license, fans can be confident that their beloved world would be in exceptionally 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 Legacy and Future

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. While the tabletop rights have changed hands multiple times following FASA Corporation's closure, the video game rights remained with Microsoft after its acquisition of FASA Interactive in 1999.

Harebrained Schemes has produced several Shadowrun games in recent years, but fans eagerly anticipate a new, original title. The last standalone Shadowrun game, Shadowrun: Hong Kong, launched in 2015. Remastered versions of earlier games were released for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC in 2022, yet the community's desire for a fresh Shadowrun experience persists.