[Quell]

Hello all,

I'm not sure where to ask this--and it's perhaps a silly question, in general--but I am interested in getting back into Shadowrun, but I heard rumors (perhaps unfounded), that Catalyst games was having financial trouble.  Has this been resolved?  Really I just ask because I would hate to spend a lot of money on a game that will not be supported in a few months time.

Thanks for your info!

[Doc Chaos]

I'm not big in the rumours department, but the internal problems seem to have been smothened out. They lost some stuff and a lot of people in the process, but they still hold the licence, so Topps seems to think they can pull through.
There were some rumours about SR5, but on that somebody else has to comment.

[JM_Hardy]

There were some difficulties last spring, which unfortunately led to some good people leaving Catalyst, but they also led to many improvements in the back-office operations of Catalyst. We've kept pushing forward all year, and we have plans to move forward for a good long while. Now, I'm not making any guarantees here--nothing in any business is guaranteed. But given that Catalyst management keeps pumping me for long-term plans and supporting me when I develop plans for a release schedule stretching more than a year into the future, I believe the company is not going away in the next few months.

Speaking of plans for the next year, there currently are no plans to release a 5th edition of SR in 2011. Which is good, because I've got plenty of other books to work on.

Jason H.

[Kot]

Heh. Fifth Edition? What for? SR4 is one of the more modern (in terms both rules, and setting) games on the market.

[tbrminsanity]

I hope they don't go to SR5 too quickly.  I would hate to see CGL do what WotC did with D&D (releasing 3e and then 3.5e only a couple of years later).  I really think what needs to happen is CGL needs to focus more on marketing of SR and BT to get them back where they use to be in the overall RPG industry.  Maybe throw some money at polishing the product, but they shouldn't just give up on SR4 yet, that would be throwing the baby out with the bath water. 

[etherial]

I hope they don't go to SR5 too quickly.  I would hate to see CGL do what WotC did with D&D (releasing 3e and then 3.5e only a couple of years later).

Oh, they've already been accused of doing that.

[JM_Hardy]

I hope they don't go to SR5 too quickly.  I would hate to see CGL do what WotC did with D&D (releasing 3e and then 3.5e only a couple of years later).  I really think what needs to happen is CGL needs to focus more on marketing of SR and BT to get them back where they use to be in the overall RPG industry.  Maybe throw some money at polishing the product, but they shouldn't just give up on SR4 yet, that would be throwing the baby out with the bath water. 

As I said, we have no plans to release a fifth edition in 2011. SR4 premiered in 2005, which means it will be at very least 6 years between editions.

Jason H.

[Doc Chaos]

So technically you could go for SR5 in 2012? Just kidding. Looking back on publishes for SR2 and SR3, there's still lots of ground to cover in SR4. And I agree with Kot, SR4 is doing a great job so far!

[FastJack]

Agreed, SR4 is pretty damn cool. And I don't see a need to do updates/etc. since we have the Advanced rules in books like Street Magic and Unwired.

[Casazil]

Well he did say not in 2011 HOWEVER the world will of course be changed on December 22 2011 as such in 2012 to keep the game moveing in the right direction they will need to make Shadowrun 5th Edition.

(for anyone who doesn't get it yet yes i'm jokeing)

[FastJack]

Well... of course they'll need a new edition then. Because then we'll have actual magical and matrix theory to start working out!

[Dead Monky]

And VITAS, Goblinization, widescale flooding and Awakening of the land.  Oh yeah.  Fun fun.

[Casazil]

Actually no on the matrix theory that really didn't even strat to crop up untill closer to the first crash and team echo which was what 2029 If my memory serves me right.

[Kid Chameleon]

Well... of course they'll need a new edition then. Because then we'll have actual magical and matrix theory to start working out!

We're too busy with the dragon breeding program for that at the moment.

[FastJack]

Well... of course they'll need a new edition then. Because then we'll have actual magical and matrix theory to start working out!

We're too busy with the dragon breeding program for that at the moment.

Well, that certainly explains why Jason's always looking like he's running from a burning building...