Always Be Running

Why a documentary about Android: Netrunner? What even is it?

In 2018 I stumbled upon two people playing a game in my friendly local game store and their movements and game-play caught my attention. They seemed like they were playing completely different games against each other.

There was a lot of apparent back-and-forth, there were tokens being manipulated or collected, and one player had a whole lot of face-down cards in front of them instead of allowing the opponent to see what they were playing. I literally sat there and watched for 15-20 minutes before I gave up trying to puzzle it out on my own and asked them what the heck they were doing. What they were doing was playing one of the most unique games ever made (it was designed by the same guy who created "Magic The Gathering," Richard Garfield) and it was called "Android: Netrunner."

[ Android: Netrunner is a two-player asymmetric expandable card game set in a dystopian cyberpunk near-future where elite hackers known as "runners" aim to thwart the control of mega-corporations by hacking into their servers (making a "run") and preventing them from advancing their agendas. ]

A few days later and I scored some used box sets off of Craigslist and began my own journey learning the game. The A:NR crew at the game store (Josh and Melvin and others) graciously began to teach me the basics. 

And then, just as I got the feel for the thing, the horrible news came: Fantasy Flight Games would no longer be producing Android: Netrunner come autumn and the final official Worlds Tournament, called Magnum Opus, would be the end of the game.

Ending The Run: The Final Official Worlds Tournament of Android: Netrunner

I filmed the entire tournament weekend in September of 2018. Over 400 people from around the world (pharmaceutical researchers, data analysts, lawyers, political scientists, medical professionals, web programmers, and, of course, IT specialists) came to Roseville, MN, to compete and play and commiserate and have a good time with friends. 

The footage sat on my server for years, every once in a while peeking out to come to the forefront of my brain and how it all seemed so similar to the other 'dead' card game that still gets played and expanded and has connections to Minnesota (the original Star Wars CCG from Decipher). Eventually, I decided to just keep the focus on the one game and, with a work contract recently ended, dove into re-reading all the interview transcripts and assembling an edit. 

What emerged was a touching portrait of the game's community. 

Always Be Running: The Afterlife of Android: Netrunner

With a new 'big-box' expansion just published by the players' non-profit ("Elevation" by Null Signal Games) and the 2025 Worlds Tournament coming up in fall of 2025, the story demands an update and a look to the future. 

This is where you come in as an Android: Netrunner player, or just a past fan, or even as an appreciator of great tabletop games and the communities that emerge around them. 

But this film isn't just for gamers. It is a documentary for anyone who belongs to something they feel passionate towards and is about to lose that connection. It’s a testament to the power of community, the beauty of inclusivity, and the idea that even in the face of change, people can keep something alive.

Contribute today to help me tell the rest of the Android: Netrunner story!