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Why is/was Shadowrun more popular than Cyberpunk?
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<blockquote data-quote="giant.robot" data-source="post: 9157570" data-attributes="member: 93119"><p>I think there's multiple contributors to Shadowrun's popularity.</p><p></p><p>The first I'd point out might seem dumb: trade dress. In the 90s when both games were new people bought books off shelves in a physical store. Shadowrun books had a very recognizable trade dress in their cover layouts, including the spines. I just looked at the Cyberpunk books on my shelf to confirm my memory, their spines are boring as naughty word. If you didn't know what they were you'd easily pass by them on a store shelf. Shadowrun books were very recognizable even from the side.</p><p></p><p>The second point is related but just the sheer media empire that was FASA in the 90s. They pumped out tons of Shadowrun but also BattleTech and EarthDawn game books. Not only game books but dozens upon dozens of novels. Importantly their game books were available in the same non-game book stores as the novels (same as BattleTech). I only ever found Cyberpunk books in game stores. A wider retail footprint is just going to mean more sales because it means more people just seeing the product.</p><p></p><p>The third is despite FASA's problems Shadowrun has essentially remained in print since it was first released. By the 00s (before CPv3.0) I don't remember seeing Cyberpunk books anywhere but consignment shelves. It seemed to take a hiatus until recently with Cyberpunk 2077/Red. Meanwhile Shadowrun has been plodding along.</p><p></p><p>Note I don't say any of this to disparage R.Talsorian. I liked Cyberpunk more than Shadowrun back in the day. I could never really get into Shadowrun. I didn't dislike it, I just didn't play it as much despite it being way more popular than my favored Cyberpunk.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="giant.robot, post: 9157570, member: 93119"] I think there's multiple contributors to Shadowrun's popularity. The first I'd point out might seem dumb: trade dress. In the 90s when both games were new people bought books off shelves in a physical store. Shadowrun books had a very recognizable trade dress in their cover layouts, including the spines. I just looked at the Cyberpunk books on my shelf to confirm my memory, their spines are boring as naughty word. If you didn't know what they were you'd easily pass by them on a store shelf. Shadowrun books were very recognizable even from the side. The second point is related but just the sheer media empire that was FASA in the 90s. They pumped out tons of Shadowrun but also BattleTech and EarthDawn game books. Not only game books but dozens upon dozens of novels. Importantly their game books were available in the same non-game book stores as the novels (same as BattleTech). I only ever found Cyberpunk books in game stores. A wider retail footprint is just going to mean more sales because it means more people just seeing the product. The third is despite FASA's problems Shadowrun has essentially remained in print since it was first released. By the 00s (before CPv3.0) I don't remember seeing Cyberpunk books anywhere but consignment shelves. It seemed to take a hiatus until recently with Cyberpunk 2077/Red. Meanwhile Shadowrun has been plodding along. Note I don't say any of this to disparage R.Talsorian. I liked Cyberpunk more than Shadowrun back in the day. I could never really get into Shadowrun. I didn't dislike it, I just didn't play it as much despite it being way more popular than my favored Cyberpunk. [/QUOTE]
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Why is/was Shadowrun more popular than Cyberpunk?
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