A long-lost piece of cyberpunk RPG history has been restored.
In September 2026 homebrewer Erebus, better known in the scene as MadMorigan, published the first full English translation of Compile's 1996 Shadowrun port for the Sega CD (Mega CD).
The release localises menus, on-screen text and in-game dialogue, and players report the patched files can be burned to disc and run on European Mega CD hardware or any Sega CD unit configured for PAL playback.
Shadowrun (1996) stands apart from the SNES and Genesis entries in the franchise.
Developed by Compile and set in Neo Tokyo, the Sega CD version leans into an anime art style and gameplay that mirrors the tabletop roots of Shadowrun: decisions and combat are influenced by virtual dice rolls rather than the run-and-gun mechanics of other 16-bit entries.
The story follows a party of mercenaries — street samurai Rikudo, shaman Mao, turncoat executive Shuin and decker D-Head — undertaking missions in a world that fuses high technology and fantasy.
MadMorigan announced the localisation in early September 2026.
The modder has made the translated build available for testers and stated that a dedicated NTSC edition for native U.S. Sega CD hardware is in development.
The project brings a rare regional release to a wider audience after decades of stop-start translation attempts by other community teams.
In a post on CompileUpdate dated 10 September 2026, the individual behind the English patch confirmed they used the AI assistant Claude to help integrate changes during manual playthroughs and iterative testing.
They explained that the tool assisted with formatting and spacing issues and noted that, in professional settings, they typically refer to such assistants as large language models (LLMs) or by product name rather than using the term "GenAI."
The Shadowrun Sega CD localisation follows earlier community efforts, including the long-running but ultimately dormant Iwakura Productions project, and MadMorigan highlighted the near-complete work of fellow homebrewer RetchE.
Historically, Shadowrun was the final worldwide release for the Sega CD line; North American Sega CD production had effectively ended the previous year with Demolition Man.
For retro preservationists and Shadowrun fans, MadMorigan’s translation is a significant recovery of regional console history.
The community now awaits the NTSC build and further support to ensure the Sega CD version can be experienced by a broader audience.
In September 2026 homebrewer Erebus, better known in the scene as MadMorigan, published the first full English translation of Compile's 1996 Shadowrun port for the Sega CD (Mega CD).
The release localises menus, on-screen text and in-game dialogue, and players report the patched files can be burned to disc and run on European Mega CD hardware or any Sega CD unit configured for PAL playback.
Shadowrun (1996) stands apart from the SNES and Genesis entries in the franchise.
Developed by Compile and set in Neo Tokyo, the Sega CD version leans into an anime art style and gameplay that mirrors the tabletop roots of Shadowrun: decisions and combat are influenced by virtual dice rolls rather than the run-and-gun mechanics of other 16-bit entries.
The story follows a party of mercenaries — street samurai Rikudo, shaman Mao, turncoat executive Shuin and decker D-Head — undertaking missions in a world that fuses high technology and fantasy.
MadMorigan announced the localisation in early September 2026.
The modder has made the translated build available for testers and stated that a dedicated NTSC edition for native U.S. Sega CD hardware is in development.
The project brings a rare regional release to a wider audience after decades of stop-start translation attempts by other community teams.
In a post on CompileUpdate dated 10 September 2026, the individual behind the English patch confirmed they used the AI assistant Claude to help integrate changes during manual playthroughs and iterative testing.
They explained that the tool assisted with formatting and spacing issues and noted that, in professional settings, they typically refer to such assistants as large language models (LLMs) or by product name rather than using the term "GenAI."
The Shadowrun Sega CD localisation follows earlier community efforts, including the long-running but ultimately dormant Iwakura Productions project, and MadMorigan highlighted the near-complete work of fellow homebrewer RetchE.
Historically, Shadowrun was the final worldwide release for the Sega CD line; North American Sega CD production had effectively ended the previous year with Demolition Man.
For retro preservationists and Shadowrun fans, MadMorigan’s translation is a significant recovery of regional console history.
The community now awaits the NTSC build and further support to ensure the Sega CD version can be experienced by a broader audience.
