For more than two decades pen-and-paper role-players have been losing themselves in the dirty streets and glimmering megacorps of Shadowrun, yet only four largely forgettable video games have explored the setting’s unique mix of cyberpunk and urban fantasy. Series creator Jordan Weisman would like to fix this oversight.
This morning, a teaser trailer appeared for a mysterious new title. One featuring a giant robot’s… foot. It was heavy, it was clunky, and got many people excited it was for Mechwarrior 5. And hey, it just might be!
Wired’s Frank Rose takes an interesting look at the world of alternate reality games, tracking Trent Reznor’s Year Zero ARG, in which he creates a future world ruled by Christian dictatorship, besieged by terrorists and wracked by climate change. The article explores the work that goes into creating a successful ARG and tracks the Nine Inch Nails game from start to finish. He speaks to 42 Entertainment’s Jordan Weisman, who neatly sums up the appeal of games that go beyond the consoles and computers into the real world. “Games are about engaging with the most entertaining thing on the planet,” he says, sipping coffee in his guesthouse, “which is other people.”
How much fun is it to pull off a good April Fools prank? Now imagine doing that to thousands of people at once. Seems pretty damn entertaining to me.
Secret Websites, Coded Messages: The New World of Immersive Games [Wired Magazine]
Those worried about the fate of Shadowrun, MechWarrior, and Crimson Skies following the closing of FASA Studios need not worry at all; the licenses for those properties have been securely in the hands of FASA, WizKids (HeroClix), and 42 Entertainment (ilovebees) founder Jordan Weisman. The announcement was made on the website of Weisman’s latest venture, Smith & Tinker Inc. back in mid-October. The company’s plans for the properties is still up in the air. We’re not quite ready to announce our plans for each property, but please be assured that our goal is to surprise and delight old fans, while welcoming new fans to these fantastic worlds.
Kotaku’s own one-time guest editor Simon Carless of Gamasutra speculates that Jordan’s fascination with transmedia and job postings on the website looking for people with Web 2.0 and online game expertise could point towards an MMO. A Shadowrun MMO? A MechWarrior MMO? Just typing the words gets me far more excited than I am allowed to reveal to you gentle, innocent readers.
Smith & Tinker’s License Procurement Announcement [Smith & Tinker via Gamasutra]
