1. Playtesters could also be for a closed alpha test of an MMO.
2. Changing the storyline could also help them sell more supplementals, not necessarily a new edition.
3. See no. 2.

Also, I'm not sure what big change settings have showed up in the latest books. Could someone fill me in?

I am sorry, but that is still not clear. You are making an assumption based upon a lack of information.
Large Playtest can be anything (A Rigger Book would require a Large Playtest after all).
Big changes happen without going to a new edition.
They have many more books they can release. They are missing the Core Book for Riggers after all.

If your opinion on needing a new Edition is when you have printed 6 books, well, then you are not going to be running a successful business. *shrug*

This is a speculation thread, so I'm speculating.
But still, I'm pretty confident a 5th edition will be announced for 2013. Time will tell if I'm right.

True...
I hope not, that would end my participation in anything but 4th Edition. I refuse to throw money at a new edition, AGAIN. Especially since I am very happy with the current edition.

You just made me realise how badly I want that...

Storm Front? What's that?

I have grudgingly accepted the sad fact that even non-evil RPG publishers have to put out new editions every so often if they want to be successful. If they decide a 5th Edition is in order, I will give it a look. I'm old enough and set in my ways now that I'm not just going along with new editions, but I'm willing to consider it. Gaming is still a relatively cheap hobby, for the most part.

A new plot book. It's referenced as upcoming in Dirty tricks. Referenced below:



And what I'd really, really, REALLY like to see would be a stuff pack for hackers. New Program suites, new commlinks, definite rules for implanting commlink modules, maybe some new programs or program options and rules foor editing program suites. Please? More Rigger stuff and -ware is a definite plus, of course.

Also, TMs might need some love too, especially rules for Daimons (Otaku/Technomancer 'Ally Spirits'), and there should generally be more stuff on Matrix phenomena. Yes, this will cover things I hate, but it IS part of the setting and deserving SOME spotlight. Especially if we get yet another cyberware book (though maybe it will give us back tactical computers?) is planned.

The first book in the Dresden Files. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Going from previous release intervals, a 5th Ed is actually long overdue...and if it should come, I'd expect it to be more like the 1st->2nd transition rather than a complete break like 4th was.

Problem is Money, though. I cannot afford another Edition. Especially since the Edition I play is perfectly fine for our group.

I dunno about 5th Edition.

I agree that 5th Edition should be coming. I love Shadowrun and I'm not an edition purist. However, Catalyst Game Labs isn't really known for their secrecy. If something as major as a 5th Edition were coming, I think we'd know about it already.

They have pretty much confirmed that this does NOT relate to Shadowrun Returns or Shadowrun Online.

My bet is a major new plot element, similar in game-changing scope to "Way of the Comet". Hopefully it will be much better though.

I'd be happily surprised if it turned out to be 5th Edition. I love 4th, I'm not looking for it to go away, but I'd really love to see what they'd do with 5th Edition. Shiny new car syndrome and all that.

Way of the comet? I've heard of Year of the comet (which I quite enjoy)

Another reason to hope that an eventual 5th Ed focuses more on fixes within the existing mechanics rather than reinventing the system, we could presumably continue using the current books with some adaptations (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Ooh! Dresden Files/Shadowrun crossover!

There is that.

I'd give a 5th edition a looksee. I don't enjoy 4th. My expectations are 5th will continue on the same course of dumbing down the mechanics, but maybe I'll be surprised.

One man's Dumbing Down is another man's Streamlining. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I don't really understand why people don't enjoy 4th and prefer 3rd or even 2nd or 1st. I mean yes I do understand but at the same time I don't. 4th solved so many problems with previous versions of Shadowrun. The basic math of previous versions was fuzzy. My game sessions with 4th are better than they were with 3rd because the game works smoother and actually works to keep the team together instead of the hacker going off and hacking by himself for 2 hours, and the mage going off and doing astral stuff by himself for 2 hours, and everyone else just being bored. Then when leveling up I don't have to deal with players who have a difficult time wrapping their head around how to best increase their skills and attributes because of the fuzzy math.

But anyways sorry that's off topic. Don't want to derail this thread into another Edition Wars. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I'm enjoying a lot of 4th, but I think there's room for improvement and I'd be looking forward to 5th if/when it came out. Not sure if my wallet would... but like that's stopped me from buying a Shadowrun book in the past.

D&D 3 - 3.5 - Pathfinder? I wouldn't call those more editions.

As someone that only had a brief foray into 3ed like ten years ago I'll give you what my GM told me about the matrix
*cackle* "You see this extra book, unless you want to read all of it, don't even bother"

On a more serious note TNs made my head hurt and the only reason it worked at all for me was because I played with guys that had played SR since I was born.

As far as their tabletop varieties go, I know D&D and Pathfinder exist and that the first edition released after Wizards took over was received somewhat poorly

3rd Ed was decent, 3.5 was like a boatload of errata that altered things and some mechanics changes. Pathfinder is a 2nd party game that altered some more things of the Open D20 rules (which most people know of as 3.5 Edition D&D) when WotC went to 4th Ed.

If you know how to play 3rd Ed, you know how to play Pathfinder (or as I call it, 3.75). Some class ability changes, some skills were combined or altered, equipment tweaks, but overall the same mechanics.

The use of "Evolve" in the video would leave me to believe its a new edition.

Or a new game. An MMO would be an evolution of the SR games, as they've only been single player (the most recent one doesn't count).