Synopsis
In 1997, Vince Desi, co-founder of Running With Scissors (RWS), released Postal, a top-down shooter inspired by arcade titles like Robotron. The game was named after the phrase “going postal,” which had entered public discourse after a series of shootings by U.S. postal workers in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Desi, who had spent years developing licensed children’s games like Sesame Street and Tom and Jerry, wanted to take his company in a new direction. The result was Postal, which featured violent gameplay and quickly attracted attention.
The game debuted at E3 and initially received interest from players and retailers. That changed after CNN ran a segment on it, prompting widespread backlash. Senator Joe Lieberman condemned the game on the Senate floor. Shortly after, the U.S. Postmaster General issued a cease-and-desist letter regarding the game’s title, although RWS had trademarked “Postal” before the U.S. Postal Service had. The controversy led to the game being banned in 14 countries and removed from shelves within weeks. As a result, RWS lost its contracts with family-friendly brands and embraced its identity as an independent, uncensored studio.
Following the backlash, RWS began working on a sequel. In 2003, they released Postal 2, a first-person shooter that expanded on the series’ provocative themes. Reviews were largely negative, but the game developed a cult following. It became especially popular in Russia, where Desi and Vice President Mike Jaret-Schachter later traveled for a fan signing event. Many attendees were too young to have been able to purchase the game.
The game’s notoriety also drew attention during public discussions of real-world violence and media influence. In 2006, the shooter responsible for the Dawson College Shooting in Montreal was reported to be a fan of Postal 2. Politicians and commentators cited the game in ongoing debates over video game content and regulation. However, in 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. EMA that video games are protected under the First Amendment, limiting legislative efforts to restrict sales based on violent content.
In the mid-2000s, German filmmaker Uwe Boll approached RWS with the idea of adapting Postal into a movie. Despite a $20 million budget and theatrical scenes shot with Hollywood actors, the film was released on only 20 screens and received little marketing support. It was a commercial failure, and RWS expressed disappointment that the movie, Postal (2007), didn’t expand the franchise’s audience as hoped.
The team began work on Postal III, in collaboration with Russian publisher Akella. RWS retained creative control, while Akella managed development. The game was to include appearances by Ron Jeremy, and Jennifer Walcott. But the 2008 global financial crisis hit Akella hard, leading to layoffs and the loss of experienced developers. The finished game suffered from numerous bugs, design changes, and a new voice actor for the main character. Fans criticized the shift to a third-person perspective and the game’s tone. RWS later disavowed the release.
By 2020, RWS returned to the series with Postal 4: No Regerts, revealed at PAX East. There, fans spoke with Desi and Jaret-Schachter, sharing stories of how the games helped them through difficult periods. For some, the series provided an outlet for stress; others saw it as a form of transgressive humor that pushed back against cultural norms.
Over two decades after its debut, RWS continues to develop new titles and maintain a dedicated player community.
Production
Directors Tad Sallee and Jason Sikorsky initially planned to create a short series about RWS's history. [8] During a casual meeting over ramen with Mike J, vice president of RWS, the directors were struck by the company's unconventional history and decided the story was too expansive for short-form content, prompting them to pursue a feature length documentary. [2]
The directors initially launched a crowdfunding campaign with a goal of $25,000, but ultimately raised around $42,000. The film ended with an estimated budget of $200,000. [4]
Production faced multiple delays, including those caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, ultimately extending the timeline to five years. [4] Initially edited using the Adobe Creative Suite, the film was later rebuilt in DaVinci Resolve for color grading. [9] Originally planned to conclude with the successful release of Postal 4, the film's ending had to be reworked after the game received poor reviews. As a result, the production was extended even further. [8] [2] The final was assembled from over 24 terabytes of footage, [9] shot across seven international locations, including the United States, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. [2]
