Retailers have been able to preorder Shadowrun, Fifth Edition for some time now for a street date of the physical books in August. (Retailers, don’t forget our Case Pack Deal of ordering 6 copies of any hard cover edition and receive a free in-store soft cover book!)

Now, Catalyst Game Labs is pleased to make the PDF and print pre-orders available on our webstore!

“The release of Shadowrun, Fifth Edition kicks off The Year of Shadowrun, to be followed right around the corner by the release of Harebrained Schemes’ Shadowrun Returns on July 25th”, said Randall N. Bills, Managing Developer for Catalyst Game Labs. “While there’s a slew of additional games coming—such as the adventure deck building game, Shadowrun: Crossfire, and Cliffhanger Productions’ Shadowrun Online, in the fall/winter, it all starts now with the best edition yet of the seminal RPG!”

If you’ve not a had chance yet to check out Shadowrun, Fifth Edition, and are wondering what all the excitment is about, grab the monster preview PDF as well as the quick-start rules…both PDFs are free!

Shadowrun, Fifth Edition is available in three formats (standard, limited edition and deluxe “Mayan” limited edition; see below the bundle details for specifics on the two limited editions). To cover the gamut of players, a combination of bundles for the various print books and PDF are available.

Directly below is a graphic detailing all of the bundles, with the actual links for said bundles below the graphic.

A. Bundle: Shadowrun 5 PDF: $20

B. Bundle: Shadowrun 5 Standard Print: $60

C. Bundle: Shadowrun 5 Standard Print (+ PDF): $70 [Save $10!]

D. Bundle: Shadowrun 5 Limited Edition (+ PDF): $100 [Save $20!]

E. Bundle: Shadowrun 5 Deluxe “Mayan” Limited Edition* (+ PDF): $200 [Save $20!]

F. Bundle: Shadowrun 5 Standard Print & Limited Edition (+ PDF): $150 [Save $30!]

G. Bundle: Shadowrun 5 Standard Print & Deluxe “Mayan” Limited Edition* (+ PDF): $240 [Save $40!]

H. Bundle: Shadowrun 5 Limited Edition & Deluxe “Mayan” Limited Edition* (+ PDF): $270 [Save $50!]

I. Bundle: Shadowrun 5 Standard Print & Limited Edition & Deluxe “Mayan” Limited Edition* (+PDF): $320 [Save $60!]

Prices do not include S&H costs. While supplies last!

*Due to low quantities, the deluxe “Mayan” limited edition will only be available via online and convention sales.

ALL INTERIORS IDENTICAL (This means the unique item code for Shadowrun Online is found in all three version of the print book, but not the PDF.)

Don’t forget to check out the Storm Front plot book that bridges the storylines between Shadowrun, Fourth Edition and Fifth Edition, as well as Sprawl Wilds, a collection of convention Mission adventures stated for both Fourth and Fifth Edition to ease the transition!

Check out shadowruntabletop.com and www.shadowrun.com to learn more about all that’s happening in the Year of Shadowrun (you can also download the free Year of Shadowrun PDF that details the avalanche of exciting games coming for Shadowrun)!

Any news sites interested in reviewing the Shadowrun, Fifth Edition PDF, please contact randall@catalystgamelabs.com.

Catalyst Game Labs

Catalyst Game Labs is dedicated to producing high-quality games and fiction that mesh sophisticated game mechanics with dynamic universes, all presented in a form that allows beginning players and long-time veterans to easily jump into our games, while helping fiction readers enjoy our stories even if they don’t know the games.

Catalyst Game Labs is an imprint of InMediaRes Productions, LLC, which specializes in electronic publishing of professional fiction. This allows Catalyst to participate in a synergy that melds printed gaming material and fiction with all the benefits of electronic interfaces and online communities, creating a whole-package experience for any type of player or reader. Find Catalyst Game Labs online at www.catalystgamelabs.com.

We just uploaded the sixth and final PDF preview for Shadowrun, Fith Edition. It’s a good swath of the Matrix chapter, as well as the entire Table of Contents.

If you’ve not already downloaded it, grab it off of the downloads page and check it out.

Not yet seen any of the other previews? The downloads‘ page contains all of the PDF previews showing off SR5. Additionally, under Media, don’t forget to check out The Year of Shadowrun PDF that showcases all the fantastic games–from the RPG to card game to board games to computer games–that are releasing over the next year.

Additionally, we’ve had a slew of reviews from a variety of sources covering the book. We’re compiling them here so there’s a single location for the community to check it out…many more reviews coming in the near future and we’ll update the list as they come in.

Throat Punch Games: Ring Side Report-Shadowrun 5th Edition

The Wargaming Addict: REVIEW OF SHADOWRUN FIFTH EDITION RPG

RPG Gamer: The Saving Throw: Shadowrun Fifth Edition

Roleplayer’s Chronicle: A Word in Edgewise… with Jason Hardy of Catalyst Game Labs

Aint It Cool News Tabletop Special! Abstruse Reviews SHADOWRUN 5th Edition!

All Us Geeks Podcast: Episode 27 The Geeks Don’t Plead The 5th On #Shadowrun

Second Left RPG: Review: Shadowrun 5th Edition (Part I)

En World RPG News & Reviews: Shadowrun 5th Edition: Coming Soon to a MegaCorp Near You!

Finally, don’t forget that July 11th is when the PDF & Print Preorder go on sale…just 5 more days!

See ya then, chummers!

We’ve covered some of the more significant changes Shadowrun, Fifth Edition makes in previous blog posts, things like limits (actually, we did that twice), and changes to magic and the Matrix (we did that one twice too), as well as some of the design philosophy behind the rules. Today I want to cover some of the smaller things I like—some of the tweaks we made to make the game easier and more fun to play. Here are a few of the things that make me smile when I look through the rules:

• Reckless Spellcasting: I love that term. As soon as the rules committee came up with it, I knew the concept needed to be included in Shadowrun somehow. Those two words just seemed to fit so well together! It helped that the mechanics behind it fit the “Everything has a price” theme we developed for the game. Want to cast spells faster so you can do more in short order? Go for it! Just be ready to deal with more Drain.
• Vehicle seats: Such a simple thing, but so useful. Vehicle stats now include a number of seats in the vehicle, so you know how many people can ride in the basic model. I’ve wanted that stat plenty of times, and I have been asked about it many times. I’m happy this number is now there!
• Mission rewards: Speaking of things I’ve wanted and have been asked about, knowing how much to pay for a basic run is tricky. Now we have a simple formula that lets you calculate what the runners should receive in nuyen and Karma. Is it binding in every instance? Nope. Is it useful? I sure think so.
• What’s in a SIN? What information is in a SIN? How is it checked? What do the different levels of security in a SIN mean? Fifth Edition has those answers!
• Interrupt actions: Things going downhill fast in combat and you are willing to trade speed for some extra defense? You can! Use an Interrupt Action, take a hit to your Initiative Score, and gain some dice to keep your hoop safe.
• Simplified firing modes: There’s a balance to strike here (as there is in everything else). The range of options in Shadowrun, Fourth Edition provided lots of possibilities, but also a lot of complexities and difficult things to track. We streamlined the modes a little, making things easier to track while also providing shooters with options for how they want to use their guns to bring the pain.
• Names of Edge uses: There is a short label for each use of Edge. It’s a simple thing, but it makes Edge easier to refer to and easier to remember what it does. And we like things that do that!
• Ritual spellcasting is more alluring: On reflection, I should have talked about this more in the entry on magic. One of the mandates we developed for Fifth Edition was that ritual spellcasting should have a more distinct flavor and it should be something that makes you want to use it. Without giving away too much, I believe we accomplished both goals.
• Critters gain teeth: I haven’t given enough props to the “Helps & Hindrances” chapter of the book, but Patrick Goodman was seriously committed to making critters both workable and scary. The critter powers are a demonstration of his commitment.

And that’s just a few things. I loved the way the writers of this book applied their brainpower all over the place, making tweaks where they could to make the game smoother, faster, and more fun.

Next time, we’ll look at one of the most beefed-up chapters of the book—the tremendous “Gamemaster Advice” chapter!