Shadowrun Returns delayed — but its belated release will include editing tools

Shadowrun Returns

Sure Shadowrun is going to return , but it's a bit tardy, like. While we originally reported a June-ish release date for the Kickstarter-approved tactical RPG, Harebrained Schemes have apparently since changed things a little, yesterday announcing a new release date of July 25. But hey—the latecomer its own party is at least bringing some extra party favors, in the form of game-editing tools.

Harebrained founder Jordan Weisman says it's the first time a developer's release an entire, editable campaign upon launch. He attributes the unique decision, weirdly, to musician Trent Reznor, with whom he worked on an alternate-reality game.

"Trent empowered his fans to re-mix his music any way they wished," Weisman explains. "With Shadowrun Returns we are doing the same thing; players can start from what we have created and build on it, revise it, or use it as a starting point for completely new stories."

July 25 sees in the release of the cyberpunk fantasy game for PC and Mac through Steam, as well as on tablets (a Linux version will come later, according to Polygon ). Though it'll be a little slowpokey in reaching us, maybe you can fantasize about how you'll tinker with the editing tools in the meantime. Take these screenshots from fan-made mission The Lost Lamb , for example, in which you can have characters oh-so-realistically complain about lagging public transport. And here's another cheery example: how to create a hostage mission!