Running With Scissors

Running With Scissors is an independent American video game developer and publisher based in Tucson, Arizona. Established in 1996 by Vince Desi and Mike Riedel, it creates mature action games distinguished by dark comedy, satire and player freedom. Its work spans isometric shooters, open-world first-person games and psychological horror, with development and self-publishing forming the core of its business.

The founders previously operated Riedel Software Productions, a developer of licensed educational and family-friendly games. Running With Scissors emerged as a separate venture through which they could pursue original material with greater creative independence. The company has remained privately held and self-funded, building its identity around uncompromising subject matter and a close relationship with its audience.

The POSTAL franchise

The studio released the original POSTAL in 1997. Its isometric action and provocative content established the franchise's confrontational tone. POSTAL 2, released in 2003, moved the series into a first-person sandbox set in the fictional town of Paradise, Arizona. Its open-ended structure combines everyday objectives with opportunities for emergent interactions and player-directed chaos.

Subsequent releases include POSTAL 2: Paradise Lost, the modernized original-game remake POSTAL Redux, and POSTAL 4: No Regerts. The latter entered Early Access in 2019 before its full release in 2022. Alongside its own development, the company has worked with external studios on projects within the franchise, contributing design, supervision, licensing and publishing rather than developing every title internally.

Development and publishing

Running With Scissors supports its games through expansions, updated editions, digital distribution and physical merchandise. Its capabilities include game design, narrative writing, worldbuilding and oversight of adaptations for additional platforms. The studio's releases have reached PC and console audiences through global storefronts.

As of November 2026, its announced projects include Flesh & Wire, an original psychological horror first-person shooter scheduled for 2027, and POSTAL 2 Redux, a partner-developed rebuild also scheduled for 2027. These projects extend its established franchise while introducing a new original property.