Android: Netrunner is an Expandable card game (ECG) produced by Null Signal Games, previously by Fantasy Flight Games. It is a two-player game set in the dystopian future of the Android universe.[2] Each game is played as a battle between a megacorporation and a hacker ("runner") in a duel to take control of data. It is based on Richard Garfield's Netrunner collectible card game, produced by Wizards of the Coast in 1996.[3]
 Android: Netrunner original core set box | |
| Designers | Richard Garfield, Lukas Litzsinger, Damon Stone, Michael Boggs |
|---|---|
| Publishers | Fantasy Flight Games |
| Publication | 2012 |
| Players | 2 |
| Setup time | < 5 minutes |
| Playing time | 30-60 minutes |
| Chance | Some |
| Skills | Card playing, logic, bluffing, strategy |
| Related games | |
| Call of Cthulhu, Game of Thrones Card Game | |
| [1] | |
The game was launched in 2012. In 2017, a second edition of the core set was announced which replaced some of the original cards with cards from the first two expansion cycles. In 2018, Fantasy Flight Games' license with Wizards of the Coast ended, and the game was discontinued, with Reign and Reverie being the company's last expansion.[4] During its FFG era, the game was known as a Living Card Game (LCG), which is an FFG-trademarked term for ECGs. After a brief pause, since 2019, the game has been produced by Null Signal Games (initially, Project NISEI), who release new compatible expansions and run organized tournament events.
Gameplay
edit
Like the original, the game is asymmetric and involves two players, one playing a hacker ("the Runner") and the other playing a corporation ("the Corp"). The Runner wins by stealing seven or more points worth of agenda cards or if the Corp can't draw a card when required (due to an empty deck). The Corp wins by scoring agenda cards worth a total of seven or more points or if the Runner is forced to discard more cards than they have in their hand.[5]
Differences from the original
editWhile the game retains much of the gameplay of the original, there are some key differences:
- The original Netrunner game was sold in randomized booster packs and semi-random starter decks, similar to Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games. Fantasy Flight's version has been built like its other Living Card Games. The expansions are sold in fixed, non-random sets, either as monthly packs ("Data Packs"), or, less frequently, deluxe box expansions. While this approach virtually eliminates the secondary card market, card speculation, and draft formats, it also promotes an equal playing field and game play over the value of the cards.
- Fantasy Flight reprinted the original card set and various data packs after they sold out;[6] this is similar to the company's support of its other Living Card Games. Collectible card games (like Magic) do not reprint card sets, preferring to re-build the card base and help support a secondary card market and card pricing speculation.
- The setting for the original game was based on the Cyberpunk 2020 RPG. The game has been moved to Fantasy Flight's Android setting.
- The original game had only two factions: Corp and Runner. The new version splits the two factions into four Corps (Jinteki, NBN, Haas-Bioroid, and the Weyland Consortium) and three core Runner types (Anarch, Criminal, and Shaper) as well as 3 Runner mini-factions (Adam, Apex, and Sunny Lebeau).[7] Every deck must have an identity card from one of these factions. This card may grant one or more special abilities and sets deck-building constraints.
- A deck cannot have more than three copies of a single card (by name) in it, unless specifically stated on the card. In the original game, no limit was imposed.
- In the original game, the corp had a maximum deck size for specific numbers of agenda points (for example, 18-19 agenda points meant a maximum deck size of 45 cards, 20-21 agenda points meant max 50 cards, and so on). In the new game, the relationship is reversed; a deck size interval is tied to a number of agenda points (for example, a 45-49 card deck must have 20-21 agenda points). This means that the corporation must decide between using the lower number for more consistency, the higher number for lower agenda density, or somewhere in between.
- Some terminology has changed: bits have been replaced with credits, actions replaced by clicks, and data forts replaced by servers. Also, some card types have been renamed (for example, Prep cards are now Events).
- Some mechanics have been simplified or otherwise altered.
- In the original game, the "trace" mechanic was a blind bid, with both players revealing their bids simultaneously. Now traces are done openly, with the Corp bidding first, followed by the Runner.
- In the original game, the Corporation would lose the game if they received 7 Bad Publicity tokens. In Android: Netrunner the Corporation can have any number of Bad Publicity tokens without fear of losing, but each Bad Publicity token gives the Runner a free "temporary use" credit to use during each run.
Due to these changes, cards from the two games are not interchangeable. Richard Garfield has stated that "almost all [changes] are reasonable simplifications or elaborations on the original mechanics", and that he is "confident that care was taken not to change for the sake of change."[8]
Fantasy Flight Games releases
editCycles
editEach Data Pack contained 60 cards, had a complete playset of new cards (typically three copies each of twenty cards), and was part of a six-pack "cycle". A new pack was released monthly during the cycle; between cycles the wait was typically three to four months.
Genesis
edit| Expansion Name | Release Date | Expansion Icon |
|---|---|---|
| What Lies Ahead | December 2012 | Wireless |
| Trace Amount | January 2013 | Wireless |
| Cyber Exodus | February 2013 | Wireless |
| A Study in Static | March 2013 | Wireless |
| Humanity's Shadow | May 2013 | Wireless |
| Future Proof | June 2013 | Wireless |
Spin
edit| Expansion Name | Release Date | Expansion Icon |
|---|---|---|
| Opening Moves | September 2013 | Microphone |
| Second Thoughts | November 2013 | Microphone |
| Mala Tempora | December 2013 | Microphone |
| True Colors | January 2014 | Microphone |
| Fear and Loathing | February 2014 | Microphone |
| Double Time | March 2014 | Microphone |
Lunar
edit| Expansion Name | Release Date | Expansion Icon |
|---|---|---|
| Upstalk | July 2014 | Waxing Moon |
| The Spaces Between | August 2014 | Waxing Moon |
| First Contact | September 2014 | Waxing Moon |
| Up and Over | October 2014 | Waxing Moon |
| All That Remains | November 2014 | Waxing Moon |
| The Source | December 2014 | Waxing Moon |
SanSan
edit| Expansion Name | Release Date | Expansion Icon |
|---|---|---|
| The Valley | April 2015 | Sun |
| Breaker Bay | April 2015 | Sun |
| Chrome City | May 2015 | Sun |
| The Underway | July 2015 | Sun |
| Old Hollywood | August 2015 | Sun |
| The Universe of Tomorrow | September 2015 | Sun |
Mumbad
edit| Expansion Name | Release Date | Expansion Icon |
|---|---|---|
| Kala Ghoda | January 2016 | Blank Flag |
| Business First | March 2016 | Blank Flag |
| Democracy and Dogma | March 2016 | Blank Flag |
| Salsette Island | April 2016 | Blank Flag |
| The Liberated Mind | May 2016 | Blank Flag |
| Fear the Masses | June 2016 | Blank Flag |
Flashpoint
edit| Expansion Name | Release Date | Expansion Icon |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Seconds | July 2016 | Titan Transnational Credit Sign |
| Blood Money | August 2016 | Titan Transnational Credit Sign |
| Escalation | October 2016 | Titan Transnational Credit Sign |
| Intervention | November 2016 | Titan Transnational Credit Sign |
| Martial Law | December 2016 | Titan Transnational Credit Sign |
| Quorum | January 2017 | Titan Transnational Credit Sign |
Red Sands
edit| Expansion Name | Release Date | Expansion Icon |
|---|---|---|
| Daedalus Complex | February 2017 | Centurion Helmet |
| Station One | March 2017 | Centurion Helmet |
| Earth's Scion | May 2017 | Centurion Helmet |
| Blood and Water | June 2017 | Centurion Helmet |
| Free Mars | July 2017 | Centurion Helmet |
| Crimson Dust | August 2017 | Centurion Helmet |
Kitara
edit| Expansion Name | Release Date | Expansion Icon |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereign Sight | December 2017 | Leafless Tree |
| Down the White Nile | February 2018 | Leafless Tree |
| Council of the Crest | March 2018 | Leafless Tree |
| The Devil and the Dragon | April 2018 | Leafless Tree |
| Whispers in Nalubaale | May 2018 | Leafless Tree |
| Kampala Ascendent | May 31, 2018 | Leafless Tree |
Deluxe expansions
editDeluxe expansions are released between cycles. Deluxe expansions originally focused on two factions (one Corporation and one Runner) and contain three copies of 55 cards. The fourth and fifth deluxe expansions break from this pattern; the fourth introduces three new Runner "mini-factions" along with its focus on a Corporation, while the fifth includes cards for all 7 factions and 3 mini-factions.
| Expansion Name | Release Date | Factions | Expansion Icon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creation and Control | July 2013 | Haas-Bioroid, Shaper | Brain |
| Honor and Profit | May 2014 | Jinteki, Criminal | Helix |
| Order and Chaos | January 28, 2015 | Weyland, Anarch | Eye |
| Data and Destiny | October 28, 2015 | NBN, Runner mini-factions | Trifold |
| Reign and Reverie | June 2018 | All factions | Omega |
Narrative campaign expansions
editNarrative campaign expansions include new player cards (including Runner and Corp identities), printed player dashboards (referred to as "PAD sheets") to hold stickers that will affect future games played in the same campaign setting, and packs of secret campaign cards and stickers. A Core Set is required to play a narrative campaign expansion.
| Expansion Name | Release Date | Factions | Expansion Icon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terminal Directive | April 30, 2017 | Criminal, Shaper, Haas-Bioroid, Weyland | Heartbeat |
Null Signal Games releases
editAshes
edit| Expansion Name | Release Date | Expansion Icon |
|---|---|---|
| Downfall | March 2019 | Beanstalk |
| Uprising | December 2019 | Beanstalk |
Magnum Opus reprint
edit| Expansion Name | Release Date | Expansion Icon |
|---|---|---|
| Magnum Opus | July 2019 | Magnum Opus |
System
edit| Expansion Name | Release Date | Expansion Icon |
|---|---|---|
| System Gateway | March 2021 | Portal |
| System Update 2021 | March 2021 | 21 in circular arrows |
Borealis
edit| Expansion Name | Release Date | Expansion Icon |
|---|---|---|
| Midnight Sun | July 2022 | Globe with ripple effect |
| Parhelion | December 2022 | Globe with ripple effect |
Liberation
edit| Expansion Name | Release Date | Expansion Icon |
|---|---|---|
| The Automata Initiative | July 2023 | Silhouette of a sabiá bird |
| Rebellion Without Rehearsal | March 2024 | Silhouette of a sabiá bird |
Formats
editNull Signal Games supports and maintains multiple formats for organized play.[9] Many of these formats are affected by rotation, where cards from older sets are removed from the format and replaced with newly released cards.
Standard
editThe Standard format is the most popular among players, and contains sets from both the FFG and NSG eras of Netrunner. As of March 28, 2024, Standard contains the following sets:
- all sets in the Red Sand Cycle
- all sets in the Kitara Cycle
- Reign and Reverie
- Magnum Opus
- Downfall and Uprising from the Ashes Cycle
- System Update 2021
- System Gateway
- Midnight Sun and Parhelion from the Borealis Cycle
- The Automata Initiative and Rebellion Without Rehearsal from the Liberation Cycle
The release of The Automata Initiative in July 2023 caused the Flashpoint Cycle and Data and Destiny to rotate from the format.
The Standard format also has a ban list, currently the Standard Ban List 23.09. Any cards on the ban list are not to be used in Standard format-legal play.
Startup
editThe Startup format is a subset of the cards available in the Standard format. The startup format contains:
- System Gateway and the most recent System Update set (currently System Update 2021)
- The most recent fully completed card cycle (currently The Automata Initiative and Rebellion Without Rehearsal from the Liberation Cycle)
- All sets in any current incomplete card cycle (currently none)
Rotations in the Startup format occur whenever a card cycle is completed. The most recent rotation was triggered on the release of Rebellion Without Rehearsal, causing the two sets from the Borealis Cycle to rotate from the format.
In September 2024, the Null Signal Games Balance Team introduced a ban list and deckbuilding restrictions for the Startup format.[10]
Eternal
editThe Eternal format consists of nearly every set of cards printed for Android: Netrunner by Fantasy Flight Games or Null Signal Games.
In place of a ban list, the Eternal format contains a points list, currently the Eternal Points List 23.03. Each Eternal format-legal deck may spend up to 7 points from the points list. When any number of a card on the points list is used, that number of points is counted. Any cards listed as "Banned" may not be used.
Other formats
editMany more formats have been created for the game. These include, but are not limited to, Snapshot, Random Access Memories, and Draft, as well as many player-created formats.
Organized play
edit
Fantasy Flight Games era (2012–2018)
editAndroid: Netrunner World Championships occurred annually during Fantasy Flight's World Championships. National, regional, and store championships precede this; each event's first-place winner receives a first-round bye in the following level of tournament play.[11] Android: Netrunner tournaments follow a Swiss-system similar to that of Magic: the Gathering, though with a key difference: only two games are played, with each player playing as the Corporation and Runner once. In most tournaments, however, after a certain number of rounds all except the top eight or sixteen players are cut from the tournament. The tournament then shifts to double-elimination bracket, eventually crowning a winner.
Game Night Kit (GNK) tournaments are also run at times between other organized play events and usually follow the same structure, but without any byes to other events being available as prizes.
Null Signal Games era (2019-present)
editOrganised Netrunner events include a series of casual and competitive tournaments held every year, leading up to the World Championships, as detailed in the Null Signal Games Organized Play Policies.[12] These events include, but are not limited to Circuit Openers, and National, Continental, and World Championships. Some of the events (excluding the World Championships) are held online, many using jinteki.net.
Most events follow a single-sided or double-sided Swiss-system. In a double-sided Swiss tournament, each round sees each player playing once as the runner, and once as the corporation. In single-sided Swiss, there is one game per round, and players are paired such that they play a nearly even number of games as the runner and as the corporation. For events with more than 16 players, after a set number of rounds, the players with the best result from the Swiss rounds compete in the "top cut" to decide the tournament winner.
Players entering a tournament are never required to have officially printed cards. Proxies - printed stand-in cards - are usually permitted, as long as they are acceptable according to the Organized Play Policies.
There is no competitive criteria to enter the World Championships. The 2022 World Championships were held in Toronto, and the 2023 World Championships took place in Barcelona on 13-15 October 2023.[13][14] The 2024 World Championships are scheduled to be held in San Francisco on October 18-20.[15]
Online play
editThe Android: Netrunner community also conducts games online via Jinteki.net, which is a free and open-source web platform with rule implementation.[16]
Awards
editAndroid: Netrunner has won the 2012 Best Card Game and 2012 Best Two Player Game, at the 2012 BoardGameGeek Golden Geek Awards.[17]
References
edit- ^ Goodridge, Michelle; Rohweder, Matthew J. (November 15, 2021). Librarian's Guide to Games and Gamers: From Collection Development to Advisory Services. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9798216110958.
- ^ "Announcing Android: Netrunner". Retrieved 12 February 2013.
- ^ "Critical Review - Android: Netrunner". Critical Review. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
- ^ "Jacking Out". Fantasy Flight Games. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ^ "Android: Netrunner: The Card Game: Rules of Play" (PDF). Fantasy Flight Games. 2012.
- ^ "The Android: Netrunner Core Set Will Soon Be Back in Stock!". Fantasy Flight Games. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
- ^ "Data and Destiny". www.fantasyflightgames.com. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
- ^ "Tapping the Source Code". Fantasy Flight Games. Retrieved 2013-01-31.
- ^ "Supported Formats". Null Signal Games.
- ^ Phi (2024-09-20). "Startup Balance Update 24.09". Null Signal Games. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
- ^ "Android: Netrunner Organized Play & Events". www.fantasyflightgames.com. Retrieved 2016-04-24.
- ^ "Null Signal Games Organized Play Policies" (PDF).
- ^ "We've Decided on the 2022 World Championship". Null Signal Games.
- ^ "Announcing the 2023 World Championship Location & Dates". Null Signal Games.
- ^ "Announcing The 2024 World Championship". Null Signal Games.
- ^ "Netrunner online is rough but worth the click". Rock Paper Shotgun. 26 February 2024.
- ^ "Golden Geek Awards 2012 – Best Card Game". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 27 January 2013.