RJ Thomas Talks Origins

Origins 2026, I can’t believe it’s that time of year again. 

Now, I’ve always had a special place in my heart for this particular convention. Way back in 2010, it was the first major convention I ever attended. It was also my first time running events as a Catalyst Demo Team agent, which several years later would see me become the Shadowrun line developer. So yes, Origins will always be special to me; kind of like your first love that you never forget.

But that’s not the only reason. Since that first day running games in 2010, I’ve attended a wide variety of other gaming conventions. And while each has their own charm and uniqueness, Origins is still the one I most look forward to. The fact that it’s only two and a half hours from home also helps. But also, it’s the vibe. For me, Origins is my Goldilocks convention; It’s not too big, but not too small … it’s just right. I consider Origins the convention where I consistently have the most fun at, whereas conventions such as GenCon are all about business and work. Origins is about that too, but I’ve never felt overwhelmed while attending. It’s where I can actually breathe.

And because it’s (slightly) less work, it’s where I get to really interact with both colleagues and players; really get to know what they’re thinking not just about Shadowrun as a product line, but the state of the game as well as the industry itself.

Speaking of Shadowrun products, I have to at least shill for Catalyst Game Labs just a little bit (mainly because they pay my bills). Still, I’m genuinely excited about some of the new(ish) and brand spanking new stuff that will be at Origins this year. Expect to see on our shelves the recent releases Mean Streets and Asphalt Jungles. But not only that, we’ll also have copies of the latest print run of the Shadowrun Sixth World core rule book Hong Kong Edition featuring a cover by legendary Shadowrun artist Echo Chernik. And before anyone asks, we will also have a few of her equally beautiful AR-compatable Dragon Scrolls available for purchase. As for the rest of the line, we will also have copies of most of the Shadowrun Sixth World product line sourcebooks, our Shadowrun Beginner Box Set, and maybe … just maybe a few extra bits of Shadowrun swag not seen before.

I’m looking forward to this, I hope everyone else is too. I hope to see everyone there either at the game tables or at the Catalyst booth. Until then, game on!

- RJ Thomas, Shadowrun Line Developer