Shadowrun Online launches on European Kickstarter

Cliffhanger Productions looking to bring new take on Shadowrun to browsers and tablets.

Following in the footsteps of the already kickstarted Shadowrun Returns, Cliffhanger Productions has brought another take on the cyberpunk role-playing franchise to Europe’s own Kickstarter program in the shape of Shadowrun Online.

Where Shadowrun Returns is focused primarily on providing a single-player adventure experience, Shadowrun Online – like its tabletop game equivalent – is all about experiencing the gritty “used future” atmosphere of the world of Shadowrun together with friends in ‘tactical but fluid’ turn based combat.

'Our whole game concept has the fans at its heart,' said Jan Wagner, Managing Director of Cliffhanger Productions. 'From our unique player driven plotline to connecting the community on the Shadowrun Universe website directly with the game, we want to bring games back where they belong: To the people who play them.'

Cliffhanger is teaming up with creative talent from Catalyst Game Labs and Hare Brained Schemes as well as previous Shadowrun authors, coordinating on story elements and pooling writing talent. That cooperation will lead to allowing players to directly affect the on-going tabletop storyline through their game play of Shadowrun Online and also connect to the Shadowrun Returns plot.

'I think coordination between the different Shadowrun products is important,' said Jason Hardy, Shadowrun Line Developer for the tabletop RPG. 'I've been really pleased at how open the different parties have been to pooling cool ideas and coming up with ways to interweave plot lines to make the playing experience as awesome as possible.'

Players will meet and mingle in social hubs, before picking missions and eventually heading off into the dystopian world of the 2070s. The online game will available for the browser on PC and Mac as well as Android tablets and iPads, using the Unity3D engine to create high quality graphics and visual effects.

Details on the project can be found at kickstarter.com/projects/1964352341/shadowrun-online