Harebrained Schemes

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Harebrained Schemes developed *Shadowrun: Hong Kong* using an improved version of the engine from *Shadowrun Returns* and *Dragonfall*. The studio decided to develop the game only for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux, so they did not have to factor in the hardware limitations of tablets, as they did with their previous Shadowrun games. The game is set in 2056, within the Hong Kong Free Enterprise Zone, a city effectively controlled directly by the corporations. Unlike previous games, the player has a backstory tied to other characters: the player was once an orphan on the streets of Seattle with their foster brother Duncan, adopted by a man known as Raymond Black, but became estranged after getting arrested and sent to a corporate prison eight years before the game's events. After release, the player gets a message from Raymond requesting they and Duncan meet him in Hong Kong. The story involves the demonic Yama King Qian Ya: The Queen of a Thousand Teeth, and the player may choose from three endings: allowing Raymond to sacrifice himself, betraying Raymond to Qian Ya, or forcing Qian Ya to return to her realm. The extended edition, *Shadows of Hong Kong*, is set some time after the main story and involves a botched mission, the HKPF's Special Duties unit, and a conspiracy involving Ares Macrotechnology.

In Their Own Story

In the neon-lit sprawl of Seattle, a decker jacked into the matrix, her fingers dancing across a cyberdeck. She was chasing a lead on a missing Johnson, a job that would take her through the city's underbelly—from the rain-slicked streets of the Barrens to the sterile corridors of a corporate arcology. The data trail was cold, but she knew the shadows held secrets, and Harebrained Schemes had built the world where those secrets came alive.

Reader's Guide

Harebrained Schemes developed *Shadowrun: Hong Kong* with an improved version of the engine used with *Shadowrun Returns* and *Dragonfall*. The game features isometric graphics with 3D models for characters. Combat is turn-based, with characters acting based on action points (AP), starting with a base of 2 AP per turn. AP is used for moving, attacking, reloading, or using spells or items; unused AP is forfeited. The game's plot is set in 2056 in the Hong Kong Free Enterprise Zone. The player, once an orphan in Seattle with foster brother Duncan, was adopted by Raymond Black but became estranged after eight years in a corporate prison. After release, Raymond summons them to Hong Kong. The story involves the demonic Yama King Qian Ya, and the player can choose from three endings. The extended edition, *Shadows of Hong Kong*, involves a botched mission, the HKPF's Special Duties unit, and a conspiracy with Ares Macrotechnology. The *Shadowrun Trilogy*, a remastered compilation including *Shadowrun Returns*, *Shadowrun Dragonfall: Director's Cut*, and *Shadowrun: Hong Kong*, launched on Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on June 21, 2022.

Did You Know?

• Harebrained Schemes launched a Kickstarter campaign for *Shadowrun: Hong Kong* in January 2015 with a goal of US$100,000, which was met in only a few hours; the campaign ended the following month with over $1.2 million.
• The game was developed only for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux to avoid the hardware limitations of tablets, unlike the studio's previous Shadowrun games.
• An extended edition of *Shadowrun: Hong Kong*, featuring a new campaign called *Shadows of Hong Kong*, developer commentary, and bug fixes, was released in February 2016 for free to all owners of the original game.
• The *Shadowrun Trilogy*, a remastered compilation including *Shadowrun Returns*, *Shadowrun Dragonfall: Director's Cut*, and *Shadowrun: Hong Kong*, launched on multiple platforms on June 21, 2022.
• The game's plot involves the demonic Yama King Qian Ya: The Queen of a Thousand Teeth, and players can choose from three distinct endings.