Running With Scissors has canceled the newly announced POSTAL: Bullet Paradise project just 24 hours after its reveal, following accusations of AI-generated art in promotional materials. Developer Goonswarm Games initially denied the claims but later admitted the oversight and apologized. The studio announced its closure, though it plans to revise promo assets with human-created art.
The Announcement and Swift Cancellation
In early December, Running With Scissors revealed a collaboration with indie studio Goonswarm Games for POSTAL: Bullet Paradise, a new entry in the long-running POSTAL series. The excitement was short-lived, as allegations surfaced almost immediately accusing the promotional artwork of incorporating AI-generated elements. Citing a breach of trust, Running With Scissors pulled the plug on the project within a day, marking a rapid end to what was meant to be an expansion of the satirical shooter franchise.
Goonswarm's Response and Admission
Goonswarm Games first responded defensively on social media, rejecting the AI claims and attributing the backlash to being caught in broader industry debates over artificial intelligence. They also declared the studio's impending shutdown, blaming the controversy for derailing their operations. However, the next day brought a more measured update via Twitter/X, where the team acknowledged that AI art had indeed bypassed their internal checks and appeared in promo materials—though they stressed no such elements were used in the game's actual assets or prior projects.
The studio expressed regret for their initial emotional reaction, noting the shock of sudden scrutiny on a small team. They committed to replacing all affected promotional content with pieces crafted solely by human artists moving forward.
Publisher's Perspective and Future Plans
Running With Scissors founder Vince Desi issued a statement emphasizing the company's dedication to transparency. "While we needed to cut ties with Goonswarm Games on Friday and state the reason for doing so, our broken trust, we still wanted to give Goonswarm the time and space to be transparent about what had occurred," Desi said. He appreciated their follow-up admission and wished them well, while reaffirming plans to nurture the POSTAL universe for its dedicated fans.
No specifics have emerged on replacement projects, but the publisher remains committed to the IP's continuation without AI involvement in creative processes.