About Running with Scissors

Back in the day, Vince Desi, the future head of Running With Scissors, worked as a headhunter for programmers and placed many talented individuals at the original Atari. When Atari went bust the first time, Vince took some of these talented programmers and co-created Riedel Software Productions, a work-for-hire game development studio. Although successful, many years of making tame children’s games and other games based on other company’s intellectual property became boring and Vince and some of his colleagues became restless. They wanted to stop riding the coattails of other franchises and leave their own mark permanently on the gaming industry. In 1996 the unforgettable and insurmountable Running With Scissors was formed.

Running With Scissors was self funded and determined to be independent and free of pseudo-commercial creative development and hypocritical publishers. It set out to make a game that would live in infamy.

1997

POSTAL was released to the unsuspecting public. The hate mail was instant and almost more vicious than the game itself. RWS knew it was on the right track when Senator Joe Lieberman mentioned the game during a speech on the house floor of the US Senate. He claimed:

“The three worst things in American society are Marilyn Manson, Calvin Klein Underwear ads and the video game POSTAL.”

POSTAL was banned in 14 countries and blacklisted in America. This only motivated RWS to be more relentless as it pursued its dream to be independent.

The original POSTAL publishers parent company, Panasonic Interactive, got cold feet when Howard Stern mistakenly mentioned them by name during an on-air advertisement about the game. Panasonics label, Ripcord Games was summarily spun off into an independent publisher to handle POSTAL.

The US Postal Service filed a copyright suit over use of the name “POSTAL”. The suit would last for 6 years, until RWS won the case (with prejudice) in 2003.

2001

Work began on POSTAL 2. The game was designed as a “sociological experiment” that leaves violence entirely up to the player’s discretion as none of the missions require killing. The #1 child star in television history, Gary Coleman, is signed to play himself.

2003

POSTAL 2 is released by UK-based publisher WhipTail Interactive. The RWS team immediately starts development on a multiplayer add-on.

POSTAL 2 receives the first ever “0” rating from Computer Gaming World magazine. RWS immediately puts out a press release, wearing their “perfect score” like a badge of honor. It is later displayed on the front cover of the ‘POSTAL Fudge Pack’ compilation.

2004

An updated version of POSTAL 2 called “Share The Pain” is released that includes new levels, code updates, faster loading times and the multiplayer patch.

POSTAL 2 publisher WhipTail Interactive imploded.

RWS began work on an expansion for POSTAL 2, titled: “Apocalypse Weekend”, and incorporates a satirical play on the WhipTail situation into the storyline, as well as the nuclear destruction of Paradise, Arizona. Despite the fact that the add-on is completed in six months, various issues delay its release until 2006.

2005

A horrible add-on for POSTAL 2 titled “Штопор жжот“, is created by Russian publisher Akella, and released in Russia only. An English translation is not available.

2006

Apocalypse Weekend is finally released. RWS makes a deal with Akella to develop Postal III. The game takes a third-person point of view and is set in the fictional town of Catharsis, Arizona. The deal is announced prematurely to coincide with announcement of the POSTAL feature film, by German mad man Uwe Boll.

All current POSTAL games re-released as a collection called “The Fudge Pack”.

“Music To Go POSTAL By” music CD is released.

2007

Ron Jeremy the #1 porn star in the world and Randy Jones (original cowboy of the Village People) are signed to be characters in Postal III.
Limited 10th Anniversary Edition box set of POSTAL games released with bonus colorforms, packaged in a swanky cereal box.
Postal III development begins.

POSTAL, the feature film, was scheduled for release in over 1000 theaters but ends up showing in 11 theaters because the director is an idiot.

2011

Postal III Released. It is critically slammed with a score of 24 on Metacritic. POSTAL fans are left disappointed and confused as to what happened.

2012

POSTAL 2 is placed on Valve’s Steam Greenlight – a service that allows their community members to vote on the games they would like to see on Steam. A promotional video, petitioning for POSTAL 2’s release on Steam follows.

POSTAL 2 gets a massively positive response on Greenlight and releases onto Steam in November.

2013

POSTAL 1 is released on Steam, boasting many improvements and updates.

RWS released patch 1412 for the Windows version of POSTAL 2 on Steam, as a thank you for all our fans, old and new. The patch includes many fixes improving compatibility for newer systems and adds many new features, weapons and the ability to play the entire 7 days in one playthrough.

2014

RWS begins work on POSTAL 2: Paradise Lost, an addon for the 12 year old title that Steam helped resurrect.

RWS continues patching the Windows version of POSTAL 2 on Steam.

2015

POSTAL 2: Paradise Lost is released on Steam.

RWS released patch 5000(Windows and Linux) on Steam, bringing the Linux version in line with Windows.

RWS begins development on a remake of the original POSTAL, to do the game justice.

2016

POSTAL Redux is released on Steam, and is shortly updated with online cooperative multiplayer, and new levels.

POSTAL 2 continues being updated with new patches.

2017

RWS releases the POSTAL 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition including a Krotchy Jizz Rag, a POSTAL art book, and stickers.

RWS Begins work on the next major title.

2019

RWS releases the POSTAL 4 No Regerts on Steam Early Access in a very early janky state! It is still being worked on to this day! 

• 2013 AskMen.com – #1 Top TEN Most Violent Video Games Ever – POSTAL 2
• 2013 GoryVideoGames.com – #9 TOP 10 MOST VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES – POSTAL Series
• 2012 GAMERANX.com – #2 Most Offensive Video Game Ever – POSTAL 2
• 2012 PCMAG.com – #9 The Top Ten Most Violent Video Games Ever – POSTAL 2
• 2010 GAMERANX.com – #25 Top 25 Goriest Games of All Time – POSTAL
• 2010 GAMERANX.com – #2 14 Most Offensive Video Games Ever – POSTAL 2
• 2010 Diehard GameFAN – Worst Game Ever Made Hall of Shame – POSTAL 2
• 2009 Guinness World Records – Most Critically Divisive Video Game is POSTAL 2
• 2009 GamePro Magazine – Top 6 Goriest Headshots: 5th Place Winner – POSTAL 2
• 2009 Playground.ru – Top 10 Funniest Games Ever: 1st Place Winner – POSTAL 2
• 2009 Askmen.com – Top 10 Most Violent Games Ever: 1st Place Winner – POSTAL 2
• 2009 Yahoo – Most Controversial Games Ever: 5th Place Winner – POSTAL 2
• 2009 Mobile VAS Awards – POSTAL Babes Mobile
• 2009 Project Next Gaming – Silver Award 87/100 – POSTAL Babes Mobile
• 2008 Findmysoft.com – Certificate of Excellence Award – POSTAL 2
• 2008 Joystiq.com – Best Weapon of E3 – RWS Badger Saw – POSTAL III
• 2008 XLeague, Top 10 Video Game Weapons, Postal 2 #3, Anthrax Cow Head!
• 2007 Games Radar, Top Ten Banned Games, POSTAL #1
• 2007 Consoletech, Innovative Achievement Award – RWS & POSTAL Series
• 2006 PC World, The 10 Worst Games of All Time, Runners-Up – POSTAL
• 2005 Mirror.co.uk, Sickest TOP 5, POSTAL 2: Apocalypse Weekend 1#5
• 2004 Holiday Violent Games List, POSTAL 2, #9
• 2004 Interfaith’s Top 10 Worst Violent Games, POSTAL 2
• 2004 Electronic Gaming Buisness, E3 Boss Award, The Gary Coleman Trophy
• 2004 Game Industry News, nominated Best Action Game of the Year
• 2004 Game Industry News, nominated Best Shooter of the Year
• 2004 NEXUSMAG.net, POSTAL 2:Share The Pain, #2, Top 10 Controversial Games
• 2004 PC Zone (UK), POSTAL 2:Share The Pain, honorable mention as Future Filth
• 2004 PC Zone (UK), POSTAL rated #5, The 50 Most Controversial Games Ever
• 2004 PC Zone (UK), POSTAL 2, #11, The 50 Most Controversial Games Ever
• 2004 Game Tiger, POSTAL 2 rated #8 Top 10 Games You Can’t Show Mom
• 2003 Computer Games magazine, Best Performance by a politician Gary Coleman in POSTAL 2
• 2003 Krawall Gaming, Best Press Releases of 2003 – RWS and POSTAL 2
• 2003 GameSpot, Most Embarrasing Game Nominee – POSTAL 2
• 2003 Game Informer, Top 10 Villains of 2003 – Gary Coleman in POSTAL 2
• 2003 Top 10 “Parent Alert!” Game List by MediaWise – POSTAL 2
• 2003 “We Are Games”(hry.sme.sk) Postal Dude #1 Video Game Character
• 2003 Gamer TV (UK) POSTAL 2 rated #1 Most Outrageous Game of All time
• 2003 STUFF magazine, POSTAL 2 rated #3 Most Controversial Games Ever
• 2003 ICE magazine (UK), POSTAL 2 rated #1 Goriest Game of All time
• 2003 Jolt.co.uk, Best Booth Babes at ECTS, London – Running With Scissors
• 2003 IGN, Runner-up Best Booth – Running With Scissors
• 2003 The ESRB rates POSTAL 2 “Intense Violence”, 1st game ever
• 2002 PC GAMER, POSTAL rated #2 Most Controversial Game of All Time
• 2002 XGR, Best Off-The-Floor Showing at E3 – POSTAL 2
• 1998 Software Publishers Association: Excellence in Packaging – POSTAL
• 1998 Academy of Interactive Sciences: Best Use of Audio Nominee – POSTAL
• 1998 Academy of Interactive Sciences: Best Soundtrack Nominee – POSTAL
• 1998 Capital of Nasty: Golden Testicle Award – GOPOSTAL.com website
• 1997 E3 Best of Show: Gold Medal – POSTAL
• 1997 All About Games magazine, Silver Medal, Arcade – POSTAL
• 1997 Entermedia: Editor’s Choice Award – POSTAL
• 1997 Washington Post: Golden Fez Award – POSTAL
• 1997 Game of the Month.com: Game of the Month Award – POSTAL
• 1997 Game Genies: Granted Wish Award – POSTAL

AWARDS FOR OTHER POSTAL STUFF

POSTAL Babes mobile game

• 2009 Project Next Gaming – Silver Award
• 2008 Russian Mobile VAS Awards – #1 Best Mobile Game

Postal III

• 2007 Voted one of top 10 best games at Igro
• 2008 Joystiq.com: Best Weapon of E3, RWS Badger Saw
• 2010 Kri winner for Most Original Project

POSTAL Movie

• 2008 Hoboken International Film Festival: Best Of Show
• 2008 nominated for three Golden Raspberry Awards: Worst Supporting Actor (Boll himself), Worst Supporting Actor (Vern Troyer as himself) and Worst Director (Boll).