Frank Waters published Mexico Mystique: The Coming Sixth World of Consciousness, influencing the "Worlds" concept in Shadowrun.

Shadowrun, a science fantasy tabletop role-playing game, was first released by FASA. The game combines cyberpunk, urban fantasy, and crime genres, and has since expanded into a franchise that includes novels, card games, wargames, and video games.

FASA developed and published Shadowrun from 1989 until early 2001. The property was then transferred to WizKids after FASA closed.

FASA released 40 Shadowrun novels in collaboration with Roc publishing between 1991 and 2001.

Shadowrun 2nd Edition won the 1992 Origins Award for "Best Roleplaying Rules" and for "Best Graphic Presentation of a Roleplaying Game, Adventure, or Supplement".

FASA sold its video game branch, FASA Interactive, to Microsoft Corporation. However, FASA retained the rights to publish novels and pen and paper RPGs.

FASA closed its doors and transferred the Shadowrun property to WizKids.

Shadowrun novels went out of production between 2001 and 2005, making the books produced towards the end of FASA's ownership of the license hard to find.

WizKids was acquired by Topps.

Catalyst Game Labs licensed the rights from Topps to publish new Shadowrun products.

WizKids began publishing new Shadowrun novels through the Roc imprint of the New American Library.

The 4th edition won the ENnie Awards for Best Rules as well as for Best Product.

Catalyst Game Labs announced the return of novels for Classic BattleTech, MechWarrior and Shadowrun.

A collection of short stories titled Spells and Chrome was published.

Shadowrun – 20th Anniversary Edition won three silver ENnies: Best Interior Art, Best Production Values and Best Game.

Magic has "worked" since 2011, splitting humankind into subtypes, also known as metatypes/metahumans.

Catalyst Game Labs published a standalone electronic novella, Neat, written by Russell Zimmerman.

Harebrained Schemes launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the development of Shadowrun Returns.

Jan Wagner's Cliffhanger Productions ran a successful Kickstarter campaign for Shadowrun Online.

Shadowrun Fifth Edition was announced in December 2012 and released as a PDF in July 2013. A limited-edition softcover version was sold at the Origins Game Fair in June 2013, and the hardcover version was released in August 2013.

Catalyst Game Labs announced that 2013 would be "The Year of Shadowrun," coinciding with the release of Shadowrun Fifth Edition and collaborations with publishers on other properties.

A limited-edition softcover version of the Fifth Edition core rulebook was sold at the Origins Game Fair.

Shadowrun Returns was released.

Harebrained Schemes launched another Kickstarter to fund Shadowrun: Hong Kong.

Shadowrun Online was released as Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown.

Shadowrun: Hong Kong was released.

Shadowrun Anarchy, a simplified version of the ruleset, was released.

Microsoft registered the Shadowrun's trademarks, recovering the rights from the series.

Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown online RPG was shuttered due to lack of funding and the end of the license terms for use of the IP.

A Sixth Edition of Shadowrun, titled Shadowrun, Sixth World, was announced on May 1, 2019, to coincide with the game's 30th anniversary. It also progresses the in-game year to 2080.

Shadowrun, Sixth World was released to the public.

Shadowrun Trilogy, including remastered versions of Shadowrun Returns, Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director’s Cut and Shadowrun: Hong Kong - Extended Edition, was released for consoles.

The Computer Crash led to the creation of the Matrix, a worldwide computer network that users interact with via direct neural interface.

After the second Matrix crash, Matrix technology was moved away from the wired network and into wireless technology.