Goodbye, Postal: Bullet Paradise? More Like Post-Job Paradise!
In a plot twist that would make even the wildest soap operas blush, a studio aiming to resurrect the Postal series has thrown in the towel. Yes, folks, say goodbye to dreams of Postal: Bullet Paradise—the project has been unceremoniously dumped by the publisher, following rumors that generative AI may have placed its fingerprints all over the game’s artwork. Spoiler alert: It didn’t end well.
The Trailer That Sparked a Firestorm
First came the grand reveal of the announce trailer for Postal: Bullet Paradise, birthed by the fine folks at Goonswarm Games. Almost immediately, the trailer became the digital equivalent of a can of soda shaken before being opened, with players suggesting that the artwork looked suspiciously… too perfect. Cue the accusations: was it all crafted by actual human beings, or were they relying on everyone’s favorite trend—generative AI? Oh, the plot thickens!
Defiance in the Face of Accusations
When faced with the tidal wave of skepticism, Running With Scissors, the publisher who was supposed to guide this ship, initially donned their battle armor. Mike Jaret-Schachter, co-owner and apparently part-time gladiator, took to Discord like a knight defending his castle. He boldly declared that those with AI suspicions were “ignorant assholes.” Talk about taking the high road! But it didn’t stop there; he even managed to tell one concerned fan that they were “dead… wrong.” In a display of professional communication, this is the kind of back-and-forth that makes for fantastic evening entertainment.
Goonswarm’s Last-Ditch Effort
In a desperate attempt to save face—or whatever was left of it—Goonswarm posted work-in-progress files, hoping to ease the minds of gamers everywhere. However, the internet being the internet, the files were met with skepticism. Accusations of tracing art over existing pieces surfaced like bad reality TV; the plot was becoming messier by the minute.
The Publisher’s About-Face
Just when it seemed Running With Scissors could do no wrong, they pulled a classic “let’s throw everyone under the bus” maneuver. A statement appeared on X (formerly known as Twitter) that seemed more like a breakup letter than an announcement. “Trust is broken,” it declared with all the love of an ex who found a secret stash of embarrassing photos. According to them, the negative feedback from the community spiraled out of control, causing “extreme damage” to their brand. Brutal!
The Grand Shutdown
As the proverbial curtain fell, Goonswarm Games made the decision to completely shut down, despite their best efforts to defend their work against the gnashing teeth of public critique. They lamented that their project had gone up in smoke after merely a few days of drama. “Our studio was mistakenly accused of using AI-generated art,” they proclaimed while gloomily waving goodbye to their dreams and aspirations. They even expressed heartfelt sympathy for the artists whose lives had turned upside down due to this ongoing saga.
A Twist of Honesty
As if to throw in a final plot twist worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster, the next day saw a post where Goonswarm conceded that some generative AI had indeed found its way into their promotional art. They apologized profusely, weaving a tale of internal review and the general chaos of being thrust into the limelight. “We take responsibility for not catching this earlier,” they admitted, probably hoping for a few pats on the back, but mostly facing the ire of the internet’s unforgiving crowd.
The Final Word
At this point, the status of Postal: Bullet Paradise seems to hang in limbo, much like that half-eaten sandwich in the back of the fridge. Goonswarm is closed, the drama has reached all-new heights, and the gaming community is left with a mix of confusion and dark humor about the entire ordeal. Sometimes, reality is just too wild for fiction!
