Over on Gamasutra, Microsoft’s Shane Kim defended the recent talk of the upcoming Shadowrun. Showcased as an online FPS back at E3 2006, fans reacted negatively due to the change in genre — Shadowrun is known as an RPG. But Kim maintained the stance that the FPS will still contain certain elements from the series’ universe. While the change in genre may have been partly due to being used to promote the Live Anywhere and Games for Windows Live services, Kim remained firm that the game will still attract people of all gaming backgrounds.
"Ultimately, what’s going to win them over or not is how great of a game it is. I think that people who are getting their hands on Shadowrun are realizing that it’s a showcase title for cross-platform play online, and it’s very important for us because it’s how we’re launching Live for Games for Windows, with head-to-head play with people on Xbox Live. That I think is what excites me, and will be what gets people over the hump to realize it’s not a classic RPG that people expected."
In a related story, a post on the Shadowrun forums has caused some controversy, as it suggested the game’s developer, FASA Studios, would be closing after the game’s release due to poor management and "bad hiring decisions." The post, allegedly written by a former FASA employee, names a few employees and even bashes Shadowrun for being a game that "offers nothing new in the aspect of first person shooters and that it looks visually uninspiring and mediocre. Save your money for Halo 3." The poster also goes on to say that many of the staff members are searching for positions in Redmond.
The thread has since been closed by FASA’s Lead Program Manager, who said that it’s perfectly natural for employees to leave a studio once its game is released. In fact, employees are forced to take a mandatory break after a specific amount of time worked. Nonetheless, it’s troubling to see that this rumor wasn’t outright denied, although FASA most likely won’t complain over any free publicity this buys Shadowrun.
