I figure the reason it'll be multi-edition compatible is because it'll be light on the crunch, heavy on the fluff.
I'm not sure why a 2050s Hong Kong is all that... Important right now, though. I mean, Runner Havens did a large piece on Hong Kong for the '70s, and going back in time is a little less relevant. Maybe they're planning a 5th Edition version of Shadowrun 2050 so folks can use this system for a blast in the past?