{{about|the 1997 video game|the franchise|Postal (franchise){{!}}''Postal'' (franchise)|other uses|Postal (disambiguation)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}} {{short description|1997 video game}} {{Infobox video game | title = Postal | image = Postal Coverart.png | caption = Original North American cover art | developer = Running with Scissors | publisher = {{Video game release|NA|Ripcord Games|EU|Take-Two Interactive}} | director = Mike Riedel | producer = Vince Desi | designer = Steve Wik | artist = Randy Briley | composer = Christian Salyer | series = ''Postal'' | engine = Unreal Engine 4 (''Redux'') | platforms = {{Collapsible list|title={{Nobold|Mac OS, Windows}} | Linux | Mac OS X | Android | Dreamcast | <hr>'''''Redux''''' | Windows | Linux | Nintendo Switch | PlayStation 4 }} | released = {{Collapsible list|title={{Nobold|September 24, 1997}} | '''Mac OS, Windows'''{{Video game release|NA|September 24, 1997|EU|October 1997}} | '''Linux'''{{Video game release|WW|October 29, 2001}} | '''Mac OS X'''{{Video game release|WW|July 26, 2005}} | '''Android'''{{Video game release|WW|April 10, 2015}} | '''Dreamcast'''{{Video game release|NA/EU|June 2, 2022}} | <hr>'''''Redux''''' | '''Windows'''{{Video game release|WW|May 20, 2016}} | '''Linux'''{{Video game release|WW|May 29, 2018}} | '''Nintendo Switch'''{{Video game release|WW|October 16, 2020}} | '''PlayStation 4'''{{Video game release|WW|March 7, 2021}} }} | genre = Shoot 'em up | modes = Single-player, multiplayer }}
'''''Postal''''' is a 1997 shoot 'em up video game developed by Running with Scissors and published by Ripcord Games. The player controls an anonymous gun-toting man (informally dubbed the "Postal Dude") as he commits mass murder in the town of Paradise, Arizona under questionable circumstances. Each level sees players killing a given percentage of police officers, military personnel, and other armed "hostiles" before being allowed to progress, optionally slaughtering unarmed civilians caught in the crossfire.
Running with Scissors (RWS), having previously developed licensed child-friendly games as Riedel Software Productions (RSP), sought to make ''Postal'' as outrageous as possible. Inspired by ''Robotron: 2084'' (1982) and the act of "going postal", the game made use of isometric and top-down visual perspectives to distinguish it from the growing first-person shooter market.
Upon its release for Mac OS and Windows in September 1997, ''Postal'' received a mixed reception from critics for its short length, unconventional controls, and repetitive gameplay. The game sparked controversy for its violence and gore, and was subsequently banned from several retailers and countries. The United States Postal Service filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against RWS before the game's release, and the case was eventually dismissed in 2003. An add-on to the game titled ''Special Delivery'' released in 1998. ''Postal'' would gain a cult following and become a franchise, with the direct sequel ''Postal 2'' releasing in 2003. Following its original release, the game received ports to Linux, Mac OS X, Android, and Dreamcast. The source code of ''Postal'' was released under the GNU GPL-2.0-only license in 2016, and the game later became freeware in 2019.
A remake of the game, '''''Postal Redux''''', was released for Windows in May 2016, followed by Linux in 2018, Nintendo Switch in 2020, and PlayStation 4 in 2021.
== Gameplay == {{unsourced section|date=February 2025}} [[File:Postal 1997 screenshot.jpg|thumb|left|The player character shooting at hostiles with the shotgun. The top shows the amount of hostiles and total population members remaining in the level, as well as the percentage of hostiles that must be killed.]] ''Postal'' is a shooter with isometric projection. Movement is always relative to the orientation of the player character (named "The Postal Dude"). The player, therefore, must always be aware of the direction the character is facing, which can be difficult to some players on the isometric maps.
There are eight weapon slots, each with a fixed amount of maximum ammo. The default weapon is a weak machine gun with unlimited ammo. Although it serves no practical purpose, the player can conceal their weapons by pressing the tilde key. {{-}}
== Plot == In the fictional Arizona town of Paradise, an unidentified man (commonly referred to as the "Postal Dude" or "Postal Guy"<ref name="LA Times: Postal"/><ref name="RWS: Main Guy"/>) enters an armed confrontation with fellow residents and law enforcement outside his home. Diary entries provided in the game's instruction manual reveal that the man is a recent evictee, believing himself to be the only individual unaffected by an alleged "sickness" causing violent behavior among the town's population. Theorizing a connection between the illness and the local air force base, he embarks on a lethal journey across Paradise, fighting his way through a ghetto, train station, ostrich farm, and other locales to reach the base.<ref name="Postal: Manual"/> It is implied that the protagonist has been possessed by a demonic being; the level intermission screens feature text detailing sadistic violence, and an unknown voice (voiced by Rick Hunter) can be heard absurdly taunting victims throughout gameplay.<ref name="RWS: July 2007 Newsletter"/><ref name="Postal: Help Site"/>
After raiding the air force base, the protagonist is shown attempting to massacre an elementary school in a non-playable sequence. His weapons have no effect on the children despite his efforts, and he collapses as the school blurs around him. After the elementary school scene, hellish images of bondage and detainment inside an asylum are displayed while a disembodied voice gives a report on the protagonist's mental state and motive for his rampage. During the voice's closing remarks, a tortured scream can be heard as the screen rests on a bolted-shut cell door cloaked in shadows.
In ''Postal Redux'', the elementary school sequence is replaced with a new endgame where the player witnesses the burial of an unknown person in a decaying field.<ref name="TechRaptor: Redux"/> Completion of the game on the hardest difficulty features the inclusion of an unknown man and woman mourning over the grave as it descends. Both outcomes prompt a similar collapse of the protagonist and an identical asylum cutscene, now consisting of animated shots over the original release's still images.
== Development == By the mid-1990s, Arizona-based work for hire game developer Riedel Software Productions (RSP) had grown creatively exhausted after a decade of producing licensed family-oriented titles for Children's Television Workshop, Hanna-Barbera, The Walt Disney Company, and others. Desiring to create original games the developers would want to play themselves, RSP founders Vince Desi and Mike Riedel established the Running with Scissors (RWS) label to produce mature titles under a different name.<ref name="WSJ: RSP Controversy"/><ref name="Postal: Official Guide"/><ref name="CGMagazine: Postal 26 Years Interview"/> RSP was split into three development teams; one worked on a tie-in game for the 1993 film ''Free Willy'', another worked on a product for an academic publisher, and the RWS team of seven people began development of a self-funded shooter game in March 1996.<ref name="Retro Gamer 195"/><ref name="CGMagazine: Postal 26 Years Interview"/><ref name="Mark Shander Show 118"/> Inspired by the fast-paced shooting gameplay of the ''Robotron: 2084'' (1982) cabinet playable in RSP's office, the game took on an isometric top-down perspective to differentiate it from various first-person shooters such as ''Doom'' (1993) and ''Quake'' (1996) that RWS felt were oversaturating the PC gaming market.<ref name="CGMagazine: Postal 26 Years Interview"/><ref name="TGG: RWS Interview"/><ref name="Postal: Official Guide"/> RWS sought to make the game as outrageous as possible, conceiving it as a "murder simulator" featuring purely human enemies rather than aliens or zombies.<ref name="RWS: April 2004 Newsletter"/><ref name="Tucson Weekly: Shoot to Thrill"/>
[[File:Postal 1997 Dude sketch.jpg|thumb|upright|An early sketch of the "Postal Dude" by art director Randy Briley, featured in the August 7, 1997 issue of ''The Wall Street Journal''.<ref name="RWS: July 2007 Newsletter"/><ref name="WSJ: Blood Net"/>]] Early titles considered for the game were ''The Last Nail'' and ''The Postman Always Shoots Twice'', a reference to the 1946 film ''The Postman Always Rings Twice''. Aware of the popularity of one-word video game titles such as ''Doom'' and ''Unreal'', the team settled on ''Postal''.<ref name="RWS: April 2004 Newsletter"/> The title was pitched by designer Steve Wik, who had read a comic book in which a character says "You're going postal!"<ref name="Inside Mac Games: Steve Wik"/> The team later learned of the term's association with workplace violence committed by disgruntled postal workers in the United States, with Desi stating that "It was like a working title, an in-joke that we realized people were using in the real world. So it stuck."<ref name="SF Chronicle: Dummy Type"/>
RWS kept ''Postal'''s plot largely vague to focus on delivering immersive gameplay, leaving the details up to player interpretation.<ref name="CGMagazine: Postal 26 Years Interview"/><ref name="Postal: Official Guide"/> Art director Randy Briley gave the game a dark, brooding visual direction, creating hand-painted level backgrounds based on the historical mining town of Bisbee, Arizona.<ref name="RWS: July 2007 Newsletter"/><ref name="Retro Hour: Vince Desi"/> The player character, a gun-toting man designed by Briley, was intentionally given no backstory and obscured in shadows and filters in artwork to allow players to fully impose themselves onto the character. Realizing the character was nameless, Desi coined the "Postal Dude" moniker during an early interview. The protagonist's coat was originally black by default, but RWS discovered during playtesting that he was difficult to track onscreen in the dark levels and among other characters. To compensate, his default coat color was changed to red for the game's initial launch, much to the team's dissatisfaction. The comedic "demon" lines heard throughout gameplay were voiced by Tucson radio personality Rick Hunter.<ref name="RWS: July 2007 Newsletter"/>
''Postal'' was developed with RSPiX, a cross-platform game engine developed by RSP and previously used in the company's licensed edutainment games.<ref name="RSP: Tech"/><ref name="CGMagazine: Postal 26 Years Interview"/><ref name="Postal: Legacy Foretold Documentary"/> The game's soundtrack and audio effects were composed by Christian Salyer under his production studio, Sound Element.<ref name="Sound Element: 411"/>
== Release == Running with Scissors first announced ''Postal'' to the public in March 1997.<ref name="OGR: March 1997"/> In May of that year, it was announced that Ripcord Games, a new entertainment label of Panasonic Interactive Media, would be publishing the game.<ref name="OGR: May 1997"/><ref name="GameSpot: Postal Publisher"/> A public beta demo of ''Postal'' was released online on July 21, and was playable for a month before expiring in August.<ref name="Coming Soon: Postal Beta"/><ref name="GameSpot: Postal Beta"/><ref name="OGR: July 1997"/>
The full version of ''Postal'' released to retail in North America for Mac OS and Windows on September 24, 1997.<ref name="PC Gamer: Now Shipping"/><ref name="OGR: September 1997"/><ref name="GameSpot: PC Releases"/> A censored European edition of the game was released by Take-Two Interactive in October, removing the ability to execute enemies, the marching band in the "Parade of Disasters" level, and the elementary school post-game sequence.<ref name="Take 2: Postal Publisher"/><ref name="GameSpot: Postal Taking Aim"/> Running with Scissors would release a European-only downloadable patch to restore the censored content.<ref name="RWS: Postal Downloads"/> ''Postal'' was released in Japan by MicroMouse on January 30, 1998, later receiving an updated edition that re-dubbed all character audio in Japanese and added two exclusive levels, "Tokyo" and "Osaka".<ref name="MicroMouse: Postal"/><ref name="MicroMouse: Postal Japanese Edition"/> Like the European release, this version of the game was censored, removing all blood and once again omitting the elementary school sequence.
In November 1997, Running with Scissors released a free downloadable Christmas-themed patch for ''Postal'', replacing several character appearances and voice lines with those of Santa Claus and his reindeer when installed.<ref name="GameSpot: Santa Patch"/><ref name="OGR: November 1997"/> An add-on to the game titled ''Special Delivery'' released on August 28, 1998, introducing four new levels and additional characters and multiplayer features.<ref name="GameSpot: Postal Kills Lawyers"/><ref name="CNET: Weekend Releases"/>
=== Re-releases, ports, and source code === ''Postal Plus'', an edition of ''Postal'' that bundled both the original game and the ''Special Delivery'' add-on as one, released in May 2000. It was re-released in August 2003 as ''Postal: Classic and Uncut'', with the addition of a demo for ''Postal 2''.<ref name="Eurogamer: Postal Re-release"/><ref name="GameSpot: Postal Re-release"/>
A Linux port of ''Postal'' was released by Loki Entertainment on October 29, 2001,<ref name="Loki: News"/> and a Mac OS X port by Ryan C. Gordon was released on July 26, 2005.<ref name="Icculus: July 2005"/>
''Postal'' was released digitally on GOG.com in April 2009<ref name="Shacknews: Postal GOG"/><ref name="Worthplaying: Postal GOG"/> and later Steam in March 2013,<ref name="Phoronix: Postal Steam"/> followed by updates that improved compatibility with modern systems and introduced widescreen and modern controller support. Due to compatibility issues, the multiplayer and level editor features seen in the original release were removed.<ref name="RWS: Postal Update"/>
In April 2015, an Android port of ''Postal'' was rejected from both the Google Play Store and the Amazon Appstore for "gratuitous violence". RWS found the decision hypocritical, citing violent games such as ''Grand Theft Auto III'' and ''Carmageddon'' that were available on both platforms.<ref name="Android Police: Google Ban"/><ref name="Pocket Gamer: Google Ban"/> Amazon would later reverse its ban, allowing the port to release to the Appstore on April 10.<ref name="Android Police: Amazon Ban Reversed"/>
In August 2015, RWS announced that it would release the source code of the game "if someone promises to port it to the Dreamcast".<ref name="Twitter: Source Code"/> In June 2016, RWS gave the source code to a community developer who ported the game to the OpenPandora handheld.<ref name="Twitter: OpenPandora"/><ref name="Pyra Pandora: Postal Source Code"/> On December 28, 2016, the source code was released on Bitbucket under the GNU GPL-2.0-only license.<ref name="GamingOnLinux: Postal Open Source"/> An anniversary update with community-contributed improvements was released in November 2017, restoring legacy game features like multiplayer via LAN and the exclusive content from the Japanese release. The game became freeware on digital platforms in December 2019, and the source code was republished to GitHub in February 2024.<ref name="Gamesear: Postal Free"/><ref name="RWS: Postal Open Source"/>
In February 2022, a Dreamcast port of ''Postal'' developed by Dan Redfield and licensed by Running with Scissors was announced by independent publisher Wave Game Studios, releasing on June 2, 2022.<ref name="DC Junkyard: Postal"/><ref name="Mega Visions: Postal Dreamcast"/> The source code of the port was also released.<ref name="WGS: Postal Source"/>
== Reception == {{Video game reviews | MC = 56/100<ref name=Metacritic>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/postal|title=Postal for PC Reviews|website=Metacritic|access-date=June 21, 2014|archive-date=March 1, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301091022/http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/postal|url-status=live}}</ref> | GameRev = B−<ref name="Game Revolution 2004-06-05">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/postal|title=Postal Review|date=June 5, 2004|publisher=Game Revolution|access-date=January 5, 2014|archive-date=March 1, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301211319/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/postal|url-status=live}}</ref> | GSpot = 6.6/10<ref name="GameSpot 1997-10-17">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/postal-review/1900-2545878/|title=Postal Review|last=East|first=Mark|date=October 17, 1997|website=GameSpot|access-date=January 5, 2014|archive-date=October 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019233342/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/postal-review/1900-2545878/|url-status=live}}</ref> | NGen = 4/5<ref name="NG"/> | rev1 = ''Computer Games Magazine'' | rev1Score = 1.5/5<ref name="CGM 1997">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.cdmag.com/articles/007/041/postal_review.html|title=Postal Review|last=Bauman|first=Steve|year=1997|magazine=Computer Games Magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050406184017/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/007/041/postal_review.html|archive-date=April 6, 2005|access-date=January 5, 2014}}</ref> | rev2 = Games Domain | rev2Score = mixed<ref name="Games Domain">{{cite web|url=http://gamesdomain.com/gdreview/zones/reviews/pc/nov97/post.html|title=Postal - Review|last=Redwood|first=Stephen|publisher=Games Domain|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030712095403/http://gamesdomain.com/gdreview/zones/reviews/pc/nov97/post.html|archive-date=July 12, 2003|access-date=January 5, 2014}}</ref> }}
NPD Techworld, a firm that tracked sales in the United States,<ref name=usnpd>{{cite web | url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/gateway-notebook-goes-for-ratings/ | title=Gateway notebook goes for ratings | author=Spooner, John G. | date=June 13, 2003 | work=ZDNet | access-date=September 20, 2019 }}</ref> reported 49,036 units sold of ''Postal'' by December 2002.<ref name=controversial>{{cite journal | author=Staff | title=The 10 Most Controversial PC Games of All Time | date=May 2003 | volume=10 | number=5 | journal=PC Gamer US | pages=50, 51 }}</ref>
''Postal'' received mixed reviews from critics. It holds a Metacritic score of 56/100.<ref name=Metacritic/> GameSpot's Mark East gave the game a 6.6/10 score and commented: "The lack of longevity in the single-player mode and the simplistic multiplayer options make Postal a moderately fun ride, at best."<ref name="GameSpot 1997-10-17"/> On regards to The Postal Dude's aggressive personality East comments on the Postal Dude's phrases from his diary, which indicate "something's not quite right in Postal Dude's noggin".<ref name="PostalReview">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/postal/review.html|title=Postal Review|author=East, Mark|date=October 18, 1997|publisher=GameSpot|access-date=October 10, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227022103/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/postal/review.html|archive-date=December 27, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>
''Next Generation'' reviewed the PC version of the game, rating it four stars out of five, and stated that "Overall, ''Postal'' is a title that breaks absolutely no new ground, but its tongue-in-cheek shooting action comes together to form a well-above-average shooter that adds to the genre."<ref name="NG">{{cite magazine|title=Finals|magazine=Next Generation|issue=37|publisher=Imagine Media|date=January 1998|pages=160, 162}}</ref>
In a retrospective, GamingOnLinux reviewer Hamish Paul Wilson gave the game 7/10, commenting that "there is no denying that ''Postal'' has some faults even when compared to some of the other games that were released around the same time as it, and time has definitely not been very kind to the title itself. But the concepts that the game explores, the ideas being expressed, and much of their actual implementations are just so interesting and compelling that one can still actually look past many of these faults and see the hidden gem that lies underneath."<ref name="GamingOnLinux">{{cite web|last=Wilson|first=Hamish|url=http://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/gamingonlinux-reviews-postal-classic-and-uncut.1114|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140727013848/http://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/gamingonlinux-reviews-postal-classic-and-uncut.1114|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 27, 2014|title=GamingOnLinux Reviews - Postal: Classic And Uncut|website=GamingOnLinux.com|date=October 28, 2012|access-date=July 24, 2014}}</ref>
The reviewer from ''Pyramid'' #30 (March/April 1998) stated that "Many people have thought the premise for the game is sick. Well, it is. But, that's what makes it fun. There's no quest for secret, lost treasure. There's no time-clock ticking away as you try desperately to save the world. There's no alien spaceships or fantastical powers. There's just good old fashioned, psychotic violence - something that our mass media entertainment powers have been bringing us on prime time for years."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.html?id=95|title=Pyramid: Pyramid Pick: Postal|website=Sjgames.com|access-date=February 6, 2020|archive-date=March 4, 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050304063247/http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.html?id=95|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Legacy == === Sequels === A sequel to the game, ''Postal 2'', was released in 2003. Director Uwe Boll bought the movie rights for the series and produced a film of the same name. Two additional sequels, ''Postal III'' and ''Postal 4: No Regerts'', were released in 2011 and 2022, respectively.
=== ''Postal Redux'' === Running with Scissors developed a remake of ''Postal'', titled ''Postal Redux'', using Unreal Engine 4. The project was announced in November 2014, initially targeting a 2015 release for Linux, macOS, and Windows.<ref name="PC Gamer: Redux"/> In addition to these platforms, Running with Scissors announced that ''Postal Redux'' was also coming to the PlayStation 4 in February 2016.<ref name="Game Informer: Redux"/> The Windows version was released on May 20, 2016, while Linux, macOS, and PlayStation 4 versions were scheduled for a later release.<ref name="Eurogamer: Redux"/> The PlayStation 4 version was canceled by June 2017, with Mike Jaret Schachter of Running with Scissors citing a lack of sales of the PC version.<ref name="Gematsu: Redux PS4 Canceled"/> A Linux version of the game was released on March 29, 2018.<ref name="GamingOnLinux: Redux"/> MD Games ported ''Postal Redux'' to the Nintendo Switch, releasing it via the Nintendo eShop on October 16, 2020.<ref name="Nintendo Life: Redux"/> The PlayStation 4 version was later uncancelled and released on March 5, 2021.<ref name="Gematsu: Redux PS4 Release"/>
== References == {{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="Android Police: Amazon Ban Reversed">{{cite web |url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2015/04/10/amazon-reverses-decision-the-original-postal-is-now-available-on-the-appstore-for-1-99-still-mia-from-the-google-play-store/ |last=Crider |first=Michael |title=Amazon Reverses Decision: The Original 'Postal' is Now Available on the Appstore for $1.99, Still MIA from the Google Play Store |work=Android Police |date=April 10, 2015 |access-date=February 5, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="Android Police: Google Ban">{{cite web |url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2015/04/09/google-refuses-to-allow-postal-game-in-the-play-store-for-gratuitous-violence-apparently-they-forgot-about-gta-the-walking-dead-and-others/ |title=[Update: Amazon Too] Google Refuses To Allow Postal Game In The Play Store For 'Gratuitous Violence' - Apparently They Forgot About GTA, The Walking Dead, And Others |work=Android Police |date=April 9, 2015 |access-date=February 5, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="CGMagazine: Postal 26 Years Interview">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.cgmagonline.com/interviews/26-years-of-postal-interview/ |title=26 Years of Postal Interview |magazine=CGMagazine |date=July 16, 2022 |access-date=September 26, 2024 }}</ref>
<ref name="CNET: Weekend Releases">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-2055,00.html |title=Weekend Releases |last=Gentry |first=Perry |date=August 28, 1998 |website=CNET Gamecenter|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817183235/http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-2055,00.html |archive-date=August 17, 2000 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 6, 2019 }}</ref>
<ref name="Coming Soon: Postal Beta">{{cite web |url=https://www.csoon.com/issue27/p_rip1.htm |title=Ripcord Games Announces Exciting 'Postal' Beta-Test/Contest Opportunity |work=Coming Soon Magazine |date=July 21, 1997 |access-date=May 25, 2025 }}</ref>
<ref name="DC Junkyard: Postal">{{cite web |url=https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/02/dreamcast-officially-goes-postal-this.html |last=Charnock |first=Tom |title=Dreamcast officially goes Postal this June! |work=The Dreamcast Junkyard |date=February 14, 2022 |access-date=January 31, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="Eurogamer: Postal Re-release">{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/news100703postal |title=Postal re-release coming up |last=Taylor |first=Martin |work=Eurogamer |date=July 10, 2003 |access-date=May 25, 2025 }}</ref>
<ref name="Eurogamer: Redux">{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-05-10-postal-redux-is-coming-to-steam-next-week |title=Postal Redux is coming to Steam next week |first=Jeffrey |last=Matulef |date=May 10, 2016 |website=Eurogamer |access-date=February 23, 2021 |archive-date=November 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108121431/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-05-10-postal-redux-is-coming-to-steam-next-week |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="Game Informer: Redux">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/games/postal_redux/b/pc/archive/2016/02/24/postal-redux-brings-the-ultra-violent-shooter-to-a-new-generation.aspx |title=Postal Redux Brings The Ultra-Violent Shooter To A New Generation |first=Mike |last=Futter |date=February 24, 2016 |magazine=Game Informer |access-date=February 23, 2021 |archive-date=August 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827234637/https://www.gameinformer.com/games/postal_redux/b/pc/archive/2016/02/24/postal-redux-brings-the-ultra-violent-shooter-to-a-new-generation.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="Gamesear: Postal Free">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesear.com/news/postal-1-is-free-permanently-while-postal-2-is-free-until-december-18th-on-gog |title=Postal 1 is free permanently, while Postal 2 is free until December 18th on GOG |work=Gamesear |date=December 16, 2019 |access-date=January 22, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="GameSpot: PC Releases">{{cite web |url=http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_09/24_upcoming/index.html |last=Jebens |first=Harley |title=PC Releases Squeeze Shelf Space |work=GameSpot |date=September 24, 1997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000618001619/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_09/24_upcoming/index.html |archive-date=June 18, 2000 |access-date=March 24, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="GameSpot: Postal Beta">{{cite web |url=http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_07/21_postal/index.html |last=Hedstrom |first=Kate |title=Postal Goes Beta |work=GameSpot |date=July 21, 1997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001205081000/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_07/21_postal/index.html |archive-date=December 5, 2000 |access-date=January 22, 2026 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="GameSpot: Postal Kills Lawyers">{{cite web |url=http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_08/28_postal/index.html |title=Postal Add-on Kills All the Lawyers |work=GameSpot |date=August 28, 1998 |access-date=January 31, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010222041233/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_08/28_postal/index.html |archive-date=February 22, 2001 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="GameSpot: Postal Publisher">{{cite web |url=http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_05/27_postal/index.html |last=Lee |first=Helen |title=Panasonic's New Label |work=GameSpot |date=May 27, 1997 |quote=Postal, the new game from Running With Scissors, finally has a publisher. Actually, it will be the very first title published by Panasonic Interactive Media's new brand, Ripcord. Targeted to hard-core gamers, Ripcord will move away from the family titles Panasonic is known for and go for a new, more action-oriented audience. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010306113343/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_05/27_postal/index.html |archive-date=March 6, 2001 |access-date=January 31, 2026 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="GameSpot: Postal Re-release">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/postal-classic-and-uncut-announced/1100-6071399/ |last=Calvert |first=Justin |title=Postal: Classic and Uncut announced |work=GameSpot |date=July 10, 2003 |access-date=January 22, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="GameSpot: Postal Taking Aim">{{cite web |url=http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_10/16_postal/index.html |title=Taking Aim at Postal |first=Curt |last=Feldman |date=October 16, 1997 |website=GameSpot |archive-date=February 10, 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010210204757/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_10/16_postal/index.html |access-date=February 5, 2026 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="GameSpot: Santa Patch">{{cite web |url=http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_11/26_santa/index.html |last=Jebens |first=Harley |title=Postal Sticks it to Santa |work=GameSpot |date=November 26, 1997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001201223000/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_11/26_santa/index.html |archive-date=December 1, 2000 |access-date=March 25, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="GamingOnLinux: Redux">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2018/05/postal-redux-the-revamp-of-the-classic-brutal-shooter-adds-linux-support/ |title=Postal Redux, the revamp of the classic brutal shooter adds Linux support |last=Dawe |first=Liam |date=March 29, 2018 |website=GamingOnLinux |access-date=March 24, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="GamingOnLinux: Postal Open Source">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2016/12/the-original-postal-is-now-open-source-under-the-gpl/ |last=Dawe |first=Liam |title=The original 'Postal' is now open source under the GPL |work=GamingOnLinux |date=December 28, 2016 |access-date=January 21, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="Gematsu: Redux PS4 Release">{{cite web |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/02/postal-redux-coming-to-ps4-on-march-5 |title=POSTAL Redux coming to PS4 on March 5 |first=Sal |last=Romano |date=February 23, 2021 |website=Gematsu |access-date=February 23, 2021 }}</ref>
<ref name="Gematsu: Redux PS4 Canceled">{{cite web |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2017/06/postal-redux-ps4-version-cancelled |title=Postal Redux PS4 version cancelled |first=Sal |last=Romano |date=June 2, 2017 |website=Gematsu |access-date=February 23, 2021 |archive-date=October 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191017120328/https://gematsu.com/2017/06/postal-redux-ps4-version-cancelled |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="Icculus: July 2005">{{cite web |url=https://icculus.org/finger/icculus?date=2005-07-26 |last=Gordon |first=Ryan C. |author-link=Ryan C. Gordon |title=Finger info for icculus@icculus.org... |work=IcculusFinger |date=July 26, 2005 |access-date=May 25, 2024 }}</ref>
<ref name="Inside Mac Games: Steve Wik">{{cite web |url=https://www.insidemacgames.com/historical/features/view.php%3FID=484.html |last=Dinsdale |first=Jean-Luc |title=Postal's Designer Steve Wik Talks Game Design, & More |work=Inside Mac Games |date=October 20, 2006 |access-date=March 26, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="LA Times: Postal">{{cite news |last=Rotstein |first=Arthur H. |date=October 5, 1997 |title=Mail Workers Carry No Praise for ‘Going Postal’ Computer Game |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-oct-05-mn-39483-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=March 24, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="SF Chronicle: Dummy Type">{{cite news |last=Evenson |first=Laura |date=November 10, 1997 |title=Also Dummy Type |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/also-dummy-type-2796442.php |work=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=February 2, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="Loki: News">{{cite web |url=http://www.lokigames.com/news/ |title=LokiNews |publisher=Loki Entertainment |year=2001 |quote=10.29.01 Postal Plus is now shipping! |archive-date=December 1, 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011201210310/http://www.lokigames.com/news/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="Mark Shander Show 118">{{cite episode |last=Shander |first=Mark |series=The Mark Shander Show |number=118 |date=April 1997 }}</ref>
<ref name="Mega Visions: Postal Dreamcast">{{cite web |url=https://www.megavisions.net/postal-finally-comes-to-the-dreamcast-courtesy-of-wave-game-studios/ |last=Mills |first=Bobby |title=Postal finally comes to the Dreamcast courtesy of Wave Game Studios |work=Mega Visions |date=February 15, 2022 |access-date=January 31, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="MicroMouse: Postal">{{cite web |url=http://www.micromouse.co.jp/wgame/postal.htm |title=ポスタル |language=Japanese |publisher=MicroMouse |access-date=January 31, 2026 |quote=Windows95,Machintosh両対応ハイブリッドＣＤ 標準価格 オープンプライス JANコード4943027330032 98年1月30日発売！ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981206011446/http://www.micromouse.co.jp/wgame/postal.htm |archive-date=December 6, 1998 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="MicroMouse: Postal Japanese Edition">{{cite web |url=http://www.micromouse.co.jp/wgame/postalj.htm |title=ポ ス タ ル - パ ワ ー ア ッ プ キ ット |language=Japanese |publisher=MicroMouse |access-date=January 31, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000823085224/http://www.micromouse.co.jp/wgame/postalj.htm |archive-date=August 23, 2000 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="Nintendo Life: Redux">{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/09/postal_redux_brings_the_controversial_shooter_to_console_for_the_first_time_on_switch |title=Postal Redux Brings The Controversial Shooter To Console For The First Time On Switch |first=Ryan |last=Craddock |date=September 25, 2020 |website=Nintendo Life |access-date=February 23, 2021 |archive-date=October 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021074054/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/09/postal_redux_brings_the_controversial_shooter_to_console_for_the_first_time_on_switch |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="OGR: March 1997">{{cite web |url=http://www.ogr.com/news/news0397.html |title=News for March 21, 1997 |date=March 21, 1997 |website=Online Gaming Review |quote=A new software development firm has formed, Running With Scissors. They announced their first title today, Postal, which is not about delivering mail, but mass-murder (from the colloquial phrase, "going postal"). |access-date=January 22, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980210124517/http://www.ogr.com/news/news0397.html |archive-date=February 10, 1998 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="OGR: May 1997">{{cite web |url=http://www.ogr.com/news/news0597.html |title=News for May 28, 1997 |date=May 28, 1997 |website=Online Gaming Review |quote=Running With Scissors has found a publisher for its outrageously violent computer game, Postal. Ripcord Games will publish the upcoming action title, ... |access-date=January 31, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980615041317/http://www.ogr.com/news/news0597.html |archive-date=June 15, 1998 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="OGR: July 1997">{{cite web |url=http://www.ogr.com/news/news0797.html |title=News for July 21, 1997 |date=July 21, 1997 |website=Online Gaming Review |quote=Beta testing for Ripcord Games and Running With Scissors ultra-violent game Postal is now underway. If you'd like to sign up to be a Postal Beta tester (among a base of 10,000 other gamers), check out OGR's Beta Site page for details. |access-date=January 31, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980615041218/http://www.ogr.com/news/news0797.html |archive-date=June 15, 1998 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="OGR: November 1997">{{cite web |url=http://www.ogr.com/news/news1197.html |title=News for November 30, 1997 |date=November 30, 1997 |website=Online Gaming Review |quote=The free Santa Add-On for Postal has been released. |access-date=March 25, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980615041043/http://www.ogr.com/news/news1197.html |archive-date=June 15, 1998 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="OGR: September 1997">{{cite web |url=http://www.ogr.com/news/news0997.html |title=News for September 24, 1997 |date=September 24, 1997 |website=Online Gaming Review |quote=Another big day for releases:{{nbsp}}... Postal and Forced Alliance from Ripcord{{nbsp}}... should all be found in stores today. |access-date=September 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980210124119/http://www.ogr.com/news/news0997.html |archive-date=February 10, 1998 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="PC Gamer: Now Shipping">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/news/news-1997-09-22.html |title=Now Shipping |date=September 24, 1997 |magazine=PC Gamer |quote=Now Shipping:{{nbsp}}... Postal (Ripcord) |archive-date=February 18, 1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980218070502/http://www.pcgamer.com/news/news-1997-09-22.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="PC Gamer: Redux">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/postal-redux-confirmed-for-next-year/ |title=Postal: Redux confirmed for next year |first=Andy |last=Chalk |date=November 17, 2014 |magazine=PC Gamer |access-date=February 23, 2021 |archive-date=September 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930212430/https://www.pcgamer.com/postal-redux-confirmed-for-next-year/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="Phoronix: Postal Steam">{{cite web |url=https://www.phoronix.com/news/MTMzODA |last=Larabel |first=Michael |title=Heavily-Upgraded Postal Hits Steam |work=Phoronix |date=March 28, 2013 |access-date=January 31, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="Pocket Gamer: Google Ban">{{cite web |url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/postal-android/developer-says-psychopath-sim-postal-is-banned-from-google-play/ |last=Brown |first=Mark |title=Developer says psychopath sim Postal is banned from Google Play |work=Pocket Gamer |date=April 8, 2015 |access-date=February 5, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="Postal: Help Site">{{cite web |url=http://www.gopostal.com/postal_plus_help/play/levels.htm |title=Postal Plus Help - Levels |publisher=Running with Scissors |date=2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060315200800/http://www.gopostal.com/postal_plus_help/play/levels.htm |archive-date=March 15, 2006 |access-date=March 24, 2026 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="Postal: Legacy Foretold Documentary">{{cite AV media |last1=Sallee |first1=Tad |last2=Sikorsky |first2=Jason |date=May 30, 2025 |title=Going Postal: The Legacy Foretold |title-link=Going Postal: The Legacy Foretold |chapter=Chapter 2 |minutes=45 |type=motion picture }}</ref>
<ref name="Postal: Manual">{{cite book |title=Postal: Classic and Uncut instruction booklet |url=https://archive.org/details/postal-classic-and-uncut-manual-pc-1/page/n15/mode/2up |publisher=Running with Scissors |date=2003 |access-date=March 24, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="Postal: Official Guide">{{cite book |last=Bannister |first=Paul |title=Postal: The Official Strategy Guide |publisher=Player Media |date=1997 |isbn=0-911295-44-5 |pages=181–195 }}</ref>
<ref name="Pyra Pandora: Postal Source Code">{{cite web |url=https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/threads/postal-source-code.77447/#post-1380531 |title=Postal Source Code |work=Official Pyra and Pandora Site |date=August 11, 2016 |access-date=January 22, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="Retro Gamer 195">{{cite magazine |title=From the Archives: Running With Scissors |first=David |last=Crookes |magazine=Retro Gamer |issue=195 |publisher=Future Publishing |date=June 13, 2019 |pages=76–79 }}</ref>
<ref name="Retro Hour: Vince Desi">{{cite podcast |host= |date=August 25, 2017 |title=Postal & Spy VS Spy with Vince Desi – The Retro Hour EP85 |url=https://theretrohour.com/postal-spy-vs-spy-with-vince-desi-the-retro-hour-ep85/ |work=The Retro Hour |time= |access-date=March 24, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="RSP: Tech">{{cite web |url=http://www.rspinc.com/tech.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030411183011/http://www.rspinc.com/tech.htm |archive-date=April 11, 2003 |year=1999 |title=RSPiX Overview |publisher=Riedel Software Productions |access-date=March 30, 2024 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="RWS: April 2004 Newsletter">{{cite web |url=http://www.gopostal.com/newsletter/04/Apr/gamedoctor.php |last=Kunkel |first=Bill ("The Game Doctor") |author-link=Bill Kunkel (journalist) |title=Running with Scissors Newsletter |publisher=Running with Scissors |date=April 2004 |access-date=March 30, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080813161811/http://www.gopostal.com/newsletter/04/Apr/gamedoctor.php |archive-date=August 13, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="RWS: July 2007 Newsletter">{{cite web |url=http://www.postalnation.net/archives/pn0707/0701_articles/DudeHistory.php |last=Wik |first=Steve ("Postalmeister") |title=The Secret History of the Postal Dude |publisher=Running with Scissors |date=July 2007 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090208212941/http://www.postalnation.net/archives/pn0707/0701_articles/DudeHistory.php |archive-date=February 8, 2009 |access-date=September 26, 2024 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="RWS: Main Guy">{{cite web |url=http://www.gopostal.com/mainguy.htm |title=Postal Guy |publisher=Running with Scissors |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000302142431/http://www.gopostal.com/mainguy.htm |archive-date=March 2, 2000 |access-date=March 24, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="RWS: Postal Downloads">{{cite web |url=http://www.gopostal.com/demo.htm |title=Postal Downloads |access-date=January 21, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980127184047/http://www.gopostal.com/demo.htm |archive-date=January 27, 1998 |url-status=dead |quote=Want the red blood and the execution back in your neutered version of Postal? This patch will do just that. }}</ref>
<ref name="RWS: Postal Open Source">{{cite web |url=https://runningwithscissors.com/the-original-postal-has-been-made-open-source/ |title=The Original Postal Has Been Made Open Source |publisher=Running with Scissors |date=December 28, 2016 |access-date=January 21, 2026 |quote=Note: Article has been updated on 29/02/2024. The official source code is now hosted on GitHub. }}</ref>
<ref name="RWS: Postal Update">{{cite web |url=https://runningwithscissors.com/calling-all-wannabe-devs-come-update-the-original-postal/ |title=Calling All Wannabe Devs – Come Update the Original Postal |publisher=Running with Scissors |date=January 12, 2017 |access-date=February 5, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="Shacknews: Postal GOG">{{cite web |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/58217/gog-gets-postal-today-postal |last=Chris |first=Faylor |title=GOG Gets Postal Today, Postal 2 Soon |work=Shacknews |date=April 17, 2009 |access-date=January 21, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="Sound Element: 411">{{cite web |url=http://sndelement.com/main1.html |title=411 |publisher=Sound Element |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020207111937/http://sndelement.com/main1.html |archive-date=February 7, 2002 |access-date=February 1, 2026 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="Take 2: Postal Publisher">{{cite web |url=http://www.take2games.com/press/970903.html |title=Leading Interactive Entertainment Company's European Arm Signs Letter of Intent to Publish and Distribute Six Entertainment Titles for the PC, Including Highly Anticipated Postal |publisher=Take-Two Interactive |date=September 3, 1997 |access-date=January 21, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980111233706/http://www.take2games.com/press/970903.html |archive-date=January 11, 1998 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="TechRaptor: Redux">{{cite web |url=https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/exclusive-postal-redux-to-feature-new-ending |last=Gomez |first=Jesse |title=Exclusive: Postal Redux to Feature New Ending |work=TechRaptor |date=April 9, 2016 |access-date=March 24, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="TGG: RWS Interview">{{cite web |url=https://thegg.net/interviews/running-with-scissors-interview-the-past-present-and-the-future/ |last=Ek |first=Robin |title=Running with scissors interview, the past, present and the future |work=The Gaming Ground |date=March 11, 2016 |access-date=September 26, 2024 }}</ref>
<ref name="Tucson Weekly: Shoot to Thrill">{{cite web |url=https://www.tucsonweekly.com/newsopinion/shoot-to-thrill-1071401/ |title=Shoot To Thrill |first=Jim |last=Nintzel |date=December 12, 2002 |website=Tucson Weekly |access-date=February 5, 2026 |archive-date=October 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191017093931/https://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/shoot-to-thrill/Content?oid=1071401 |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="Twitter: OpenPandora">{{cite tweet |number=738064875205758976 |author=Running with Scissors |author-link=Running with Scissors (company) |user=RWSstudios |title=POSTAL 1 running on Open Pandora. P1 is being opened sourced in the near future! |date=June 1, 2016 }}</ref>
<ref name="Twitter: Source Code">{{cite tweet |number=633178225506668544 |author=Running with Scissors |author-link=Running with Scissors (company) |user=RWSstudios |title=We're going to release the POSTAL 1 source code soon, but only if someone promises to port it to the Dreamcast. |date=August 17, 2015 |access-date=January 22, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="WGS: Postal Source">{{cite web |url=https://www.wavegamestudios.com/oss/ |title=POSTAL (Dreamcast) Source Code |publisher=Wave Game Studios |access-date=January 31, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="Worthplaying: Postal GOG">{{cite web |url=https://worthplaying.com/article/2009/4/17/news/60897-good-old-games-goes-postal-sells-stronghold-on-the-cheap/ |title=Good Old Games Goes Postal, Sells Stronghold on the Cheap |work=Worthplaying |date=April 17, 2009 |access-date=January 21, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="WSJ: Blood Net">{{cite news |last1=Immergut |first1=Debra Jo |date=August 7, 1997 |title=Blood on the Net: Computer Gamers See Red |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB870903638995291500 |work=Wall Street Journal |access-date=February 1, 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="WSJ: RSP Controversy">{{cite news |last1=Auerbach |first1=Jon G. |last2=Stecklow |first2=Steve |date=October 16, 1997 |title=RSP Provokes Controversy Over Its Gory Software Game |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB876951901156397000 |work=Wall Street Journal |access-date=September 26, 2024 }}</ref>
}}
== External links == {{Wikiquote}} * {{MobyGames|id=/2924|name=''Postal''}} * {{MobyGames|id=/5614|name=''Postal Plus''}} * {{URL|https://github.com/RWS-Studios/POSTAL-SourceCode|Source code}} for ''Postal'' on GitHub
{{Postal}}
Category:1997 video games Category:Android (operating system) games Category:Classic Mac OS games Category:Commercial video games with freely available source code Category:Dreamcast homebrew games Category:Fiction about mass murder Category:Freeware games Category:Linux games Category:Loki Entertainment games Category:MacOS games Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games Category:Nintendo Switch games Category:Obscenity controversies in video games Category:Open-source video games Category:Panasonic video games Category:PlayStation 4 games Category:Postal (franchise) Category:Ripcord Games games Category:Satirical video games Category:Top-down shooters Category:Video games developed in the United States Category:Video games with isometric graphics Category:Windows games