Running with Scissors, Inc.

Infobox Company
company_name = Running With Scissors, Inc
company_
company_type =
foundation = 1997(as RWS), 1985(as RSP)
location = Tucson, Arizona
key_people = Vince Desi, Mike Riedel, Mike Jaret-Schachter
industry = Computer and video game industry
products =
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees =
parent =
subsid =
homepage = [http://www.runningwithscissors.com/ www.runningwithscissors.com]
footnotes =

Running With Scissors, Inc. (RWS for short) is an American computer game developer based in Arizona. Their best-known title, "Postal", was publicly decried by Senator Joe Lieberman and other critics due to its extreme violence.

The company was originally founded under the name Riedel Software Productions (RSP for short) in the 1980s by Mike Jaret Riedel and Vince Desiderio [http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Currents/Content?oid=oid%3A46334] . The company's first game was "Spy vs. Spy" followed by numerous games based on children's properties, including "Tom & Jerry" and "Bobby's World" for the Super Nintendo as well as numerous Sesame Street games. However, the company eventually grew tired of making licensed children's games. Changing the company name to Running With Scissors, work on "Postal" officially began.

In April 2003, RWS released a sequel, "Postal²", starring ex-child actor Gary Coleman. The game features many jokes at Lieberman's expense and also features an entire class of enemy modelled upon Osama bin Laden.

Company history

*Development of "Postal" begins, January 1996
*"Postal" is announced, March 1997
*"Postal" is previewed at the E3 Media and Business Summit in Atlanta, June 1997
*"Postal" is officially released for Windows and Mac, November 1997
*The "" add-on pack is released, August 1998
*The "Postal PLUS" combo CD is released, May 2000
*RWS announces the development of "Postal²", February 2002
*RWS announces Gary Coleman as a guest star in "Postal²", May 2002
*"Postal²" is released worldwide, April 2003
*RWS announces "", a multiplayer version of "Postal²", September 2003
*"Postal²: Share The Pain" is released in North America, Japan, and Russia, January 2004
*Micro Mouse releases Apocalypse Weekend in Japan, July 2004
*Akella releases Apocalypse Weekend in Russia, October 2004
*"Postal²" is officially banned in New Zealand, November 2004
*"Postal²: Share The Pain" is released for Mac, December 2004
*"" is released for Windows, May 2005
*RWS releases "Postal²: Apocalypse Weekend" for Mac and Linux, September 2005
*RWS strikes deal with German director Uwe Boll to release the "Postal" movies, October 2005
*"Postal 3" is officially announced, reportedly using Valve's source engine (Half-Life 2) and being co-developed by Akella in Russia, October 2006
*The Postal Fudge Pack is released, a 5 in 1 pack of "Postal" games: "Postal"; "Postal²: Share The Pain"; "Postal²: Apocalypse Weekend"; "Eternal Damnation" (a fan-made game); and "Week in Paradise" (a fan-made mod), November 2006
*The POSTAL movie is released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 26th packaged with a free copy of POSTAL 2 Share The Pain. It is available at Best Buy and Wal-Mart, this is the first time a POSTAL product has been on Wal-Mart shelves since POSTAL 1 was released and banned in 1997, August 2008

Awards and honors

* 2004, Interfaith Alliance top 10 most violent games list - "Postal²"
* 2004, Nexus Game Magazine, Top 10 Controversial Games - "Postal²"
* 2004, PC Zone (UK), Rated Future Filth - "Postal²": Share The Pain
* 2004, PC Zone (UK), 50 Most Controversial Games Ever, #5 - "Postal"
* 2004, PC Zone (UK), 50 Most Controversial Games Ever, #11 - "Postal²"
* 2004, Game Tiger, Top Ten Games You Can't Show Mom - "Postal²"
* 2004, Computer Games Magazine, Best Performance by a politician in a Supporting Role - Gary Coleman in "Postal²"
* 2003, Krawall Gaming, Best Press Releases of 2003 - RWS and "Postal²"
* 2003, GameSpot, Most Embarrassing Game Nominee - "Postal²"
* 2003, Game Informer, Top 10 Villains of 2003 - Gary Coleman in "Postal²"
* 2003, Top 10 "Parent Alert!" Game List by MediaWise - "Postal²"
* 2003, www.hry.sme.sk "We Are Games", Postal Dude rated #1 Video Game Character
* 2003, Gamer TV (UK), "Postal²" rated #1 Most Outrageous Game of All time
* 2003, STUFF magazine, "Postal²" rated #3 Most Controversial Games Ever
* 2003, ICE magazine (UK), "Postal²" 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 "Postal²" "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 - "Postal²"
* 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, [http://con.ca/ Capital of Nasty] : [http://con.ca/gt.sqml 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"

ee also

* Video game controversy

References

* [http://games.ign.com/objects/026/026378.html IGN profile]

External links

* [http://www.gopostal.com Official RWS Website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/gopostaldotcom Running With Scissors Myspace Page]
* [http://www.mobygames.com/company/running-with-scissors Running With Scissors, Inc.] entry at MobyGames