Sam and Max Cancellation Petition

[guybrush guy]

To whom it may concern

recently I have received notice of the cancellation of Sam and max 2. this is extremely upsetting to myself and all other adventure gamers.

recently I have maid a petition to show Lucas arts that Sam and max 2 will sell. please, I'm begging you get the word out. let people know that you want Sam and Max 2

http://www.petitiononline.com/LACOSAM/petition.html

 

If possible send this to eveyone you know and mean every..host it on your website. even on a diffrent forum.

once agin please sign it..it will only take 2 seconds of your time.

 

if possible could the link to the site of the petition be poseted on the main mixnmojo site..it would get better recegnition therew there

[Laserschwert]

The first thing before signing the petition (of course I did that) was writing a mail to the LucasArts PR-department... here' what I wrote:

 

Hello, LucasArts.

 

Today I read the news that the eagerly awaited "Sam & Max - Freelance Police" has been cancelled, and I just want to let you know that this is really a huge desaster, not only for adventure fans, but for the PC-gaming world in general. Right now, in a time when the adventure genre is reappearing after a long time of absence, "Sam & Max" had the absolute potential to drastically increase the genre's momentum. A brief look at games like "Runaway", "Broken Sword 3" or "The Westerner" (and their smashing scorings at game-magazines around the world) shows that the adventure-genre is in fact BACK. And after a (to put it mildly) MODEST chain of console-ports, that solely relied on the "Star Wars" franchise, giving LucasArts' original characters a comeback - which not only the fans of the classics would've appreciated -, would have proved that LucasArts CAN still create hits like in its "golden years", which were the 90s, with "Monkey Island", "Day of the Tentacle", "Full Throttle", "The Dig" and of course "Sam & Max". But lately LucasArts has lost its spark... smash-hits like "Jedi Outcast" or "Knights of the Old Republic" and the upcoming "Republic Commando" got developed by third-party companies...

 

LucasArts appears to resign and play safe by just publishing. The in-house team simply doesn't get a chance to make up for the "Full Throttle 2"-debacle and "Sam & Max - Freelance Police" would have been this chance. Gamers and the press alike were excited about this gem that could've been the Messiah of the adventure-genre... and now you cancelled it because you're afraid it would be rejected by the gamers?

 

I know, with the upcoming "Star Wars: Episode 3" you will have enough possibilites for more franchise-"crap"... (sorry about the choice of words), but as much as I loved "Star Wars", I loved Sam & Max, Guybrush, Elaine, Ben, Bernard, Hoagie and Laverne far better... at least think about the industry and stop trying to play safe... for crying out loud, you're LucasArts! You created "The Secret of Monkey Island"... you are geniuses... well... you WERE...

 

But I guess that drain has dried out.

 

Yours sincerely,

Jan Hofmeister

 

What do you think?

[elTee]

I too sent a letter to LucasArts.

 

(Slightly edited, cos LucasArts made mojo remove the e-mail addresses of certain high-ranking officials and I sent this before then)

 

"Hi.

 

Firstly, I'd like to know where Mr. Nelson recieved his information about "current market place realities and underlying economic considerations" which led to the cancellation of Sam & Max 2. Have you considered telling Funcom, who are currently producing a sequel to their game of the year, four-hundred-thousand+ selling "graphic adventure" The Longest Journey? Is it the same source of information who told you that Escape From Monkey Island was marketable on the PS2, despite the fact that it has three prequels none of which are available on consoles? I'm also curious as to why the desision was made to re-release several of the "classic" LucasArts titles here in the UK. Clearly, graphic adventures don't sell well at all (did I mention The Longest Journey, released between the time of Grim Fandango and Escape From Monkey Island, which has sold well over 400, 000 copies) which is why you're only selling the old, out of date ones like The Dig.

 

In fact, what am I saying. As you say, "current market place realities" dictate that graphic adventures are actually a waste of time and money. Sure, its ok to start work on a new one, even progress pretty damn far into it, and release its prequel in the "Entertainment Pack" and now on its own, but what fools you would be to actually release it! What kind of morons would release a game like this?! Its beyond me, especially as the gaming press are so clearly non-plussed and uninterested in the game.

 

Seriously, though, I think you should listen to your fans more than your wallets. I appreciate that there are a lot of Star Wars fans, more than Monkey Island, or Day of the Tentacle, but read the magazine reviews. There have been 14 good LucasArts adventure games, by my estimation, and 2 good Star Wars games. And they were made by Factor 5. Jesus, I really, honestly, truly believed that the Star Wars games were being made because of the new movie trilogy, and when it was all done and ended with, you'd go back to making really good games. Hell, you more-or-less invented the genre - now I have to play games made by people who are basically trying to make the same games you used to make.

 

I know I keep referring to it, but The Longest Journey didn't have a reference to Guybrush Threepwood in it for nothing. Well done, you've upset a few hundred people but don't worry - you won't have to risk losing any money.

 

Former Fan

 

Daniel Wishart - I used to have a fansite, it was called LucasTones"

 

Of course, I won't close my site down

[Hellbeard]

I know that I probably don't understand this situation as well as you guys do, nor do I think that you should really care about my oppionion, but I'll say it anyway.

 

Adventure games just about dead in my oppinion, and why wouldn't they? People don't like to have to think or actually spend time thinking about what they're doing. People like first person shooter games where they can shoot endlessly, or RPGs where they just have to pump numourous hours into gameplay to become good, hell, even RTS games have more appeal now a days than adventure games just because they aren't as hard on the noggin'. People are lazy, and they watch reality television (need I say more?). I would have cancelled sam and max 2 as well if I was in their position just because there is no way that they could compete with games like Half-Life 2, Halo 2, Grand Theft Auto, sims, etc... It would be like suicide.

 

Now don't get me wrong, I love Adventure games more than any other genre, and Im going to sign the petition, but I just don't think that there is any life left for the adventure game genre. Heck Im the only person that I know that actually enjoys to play them, even if I constantly advertise/lend them to my friends...

 

 

(remember, I don't know much about the adventure game situation, so if I just made an ass out of myself, don't think much of it)

[Udvarnoky]

But even if you truly thought adventure games didn't have a chance, would you really cancel a game so far into production because you had doubts about its sales?

[Laserschwert]

That's what I have pointed out in my mail (just as Tones did): The adventure-genre is right in the process of recovering... "The Longest Journey" started it, "Runaway", "Broken Sword 3" and "The Westerner" followed... and it was great to see that more adventures are going to come out, like a sequel to "The Longest Journey"... so, obviously the genre isn't dead.

 

By the way, the game was supposed to be released in April, right? So, the stupid suits cancelled it one moth before release... I still can't believe that.

[Udvarnoky]

Originally posted by Laserschwert

was supposed to be released in April, right? So, the stupid suits cancelled it one moth before release... I still can't believe that.

 

Well, it was likely going to be summer at the earliest. Jake said a delay was anticipated to give some E3 coverage or something along those lines. The point is, the game was not far off from completion-well enough into development to warrant a release, no matter how poorly it would have sold. It just doesn't make sense to spend all this time and money for nothing. It's truly ridiculous.

[elTee]

I mean for Christs sake, the Goddamn game designers were e-mailing Jake only a few bloody weeks ago to help in the "pre-rendered or not?" debate, so clearly they still thought it was gonna be finished. Dammit, I'm so mad

[Gabrobot]

Man, and I thought LucasArts had learned their lesson after Obi-Wan...this is actually worse than any of their other cancelled games, since at least the other games weren't actually turning out right. With Sam & Max 2 everything is going great and then they turn around and shoot themselves in the foot!? What the HELL!?

[Remi]

I've mentioned it before, but I'll post it here also - a petition rarely makes a difference. Your best bet is to e-mail pr@lucasarts.com and let them know how you feel.

[elTee]

I agree with you Remi. I did e-mail them, and normally I don't sign petitions cos basically, as you say, they're useless. This time I'm really really mad though. Its one of the most ridiculous, annoying and downright ludicrous decisions ever made in the industry. I mean, the game is almost done, surely? I mean, who wasn't expecting a bucketload of screenshots at E3, and a demo a few weeks later? Hell it was supposed to ship before the fall.

 

Its not like they announced it, and that was all, or they had shown us some pics but they looked shỉt like with Full Throttle II. This is there, 90% complete and looking sweet. Every gamesplayer worth his salt was at least remotely excited about this, because no-one can deny that the original was a masterpiece.

 

Assholes.

[Gabrobot]

True that petitions don't make much of a difference (and I did e-mail LucasArts, btw), though I'm still happy to see the number of signatures rapidly rising already.

[Remi]

Yeah, I gave in and signed it too.

 

Still though, an e-mail is worth more than a signature, so I hope people just don't sign the petition and leave it at that.

[guybrush guy]

i just mailed a letter to the Lucas arts building in CA...

 

Dear developers of Sam and Max 2

I first got into adventure games when I was about 10 years old. I received the games Myst and Toonstruck for my birthday. I, since then, have been in love with the genera. My first LucasArts game was “Curse of Monkey Island” since then I have bought every LucasArts adventure game, including Sam and Max.

Recently adventure gaming has been on a low level of enjoyment. Even to find an adventure game in a store is something of a challenge. When the rare chance of finding an adventure game rears its head, it sucks. In my book, as well as other people’s, nothing compares to LucasArts and that is the truth. I have more devotion to your company then I do anything else. You guys are absolute genesis when it comes to adventure games. A few years ago I only had one computer and it was not capable or being upgraded so I went out and bought a Play Station 2 just to play Monkey Island 4.

At last years E3, I was really excited by the news of full throttle 2. It was the topic of discussion for weeks at http://www.adventuregamers.com. When the news of Sam and Max 2 came, I was ecstatic. I could not wait to play this game. That is until this morning the 3rd of March.

I woke up around eleven in the morning and had to run a few errands. When I came back I took a look at my favorite website and I saw the dreadful headline “Sam and Max 2 canceled” I soon read the press release. "After careful evaluation of current market place realities and underlying economic considerations, we've decided that this was not the appropriate time to launch a graphic adventure on the PC. ” What I got out of this statement was “We decided that were going to cancel Sam and Max. We are canceling because adventure games are dead and we wont make a lot of money.” I would like to remind you of who you are. You have thousands of fans. Millions of people all over the world have played your games. How can you say that this game will not sell?

Even if your company is determined to bring Sam and Max 2 back to production and the simple issue of “It’s not going to sell well” is in your way. I’m sure you guys can think of something to fix it. I have a few suggestions myself.

First I suggest that you release some screenshot of the game. There is little known about the looks and views of the game. I guarantee that if you do this you will get recognized. Post them on gaming website such as game spy or gamespot.

Second, I would give some more information on the game play and a little information on the plot. This would be the same as the first by posting it on game sites. Releases a little more plot information. I read an interview about the mini games, that alone maid me want to play the game even more

Third, I would release a playable demo. Nothing would bring more people to your game then a playable demo. I think this would be the quickest and best way to boost your “market place reality”.

Sam and Max was rated number ten as one of the most anticipated games of 2004 by Pc gamer. Do you know how hard that is, there will probably be over 2000 games released this year, and Sam and Max is in the top ten!

You guy should do some serious thinking. I am very angry about your proposal. So far I have sent three email complaints. This letter would be my fourth complaint today. I even started an online petition. That can be viewed here, http://www.petitiononline.com/LACOSAM/petition.html. In the past four hours it has received over 150 signatures.

Canceling Sam and Max is a mistake. As of now I am extremely disappointed in LucasArts. You have lost my support in anything that Lucas Arts does. I will no longer purchase any LucasArts game. I was going to purchase the game Star Wars Galaxies but i’m disgusted by the way LucasArts is acting and will no longer have anything to do with it

I hope you take what I am saying into consideration. You should really think about what you would be doing. You would be loosing a lot of your fans.

Sincerely

Brandon Leahy

[elTee]

More people need to be emailing LucasArts like this. I've done it twice (by mistake) and everyone else who I've spoken to has done it. If we all do it, the least we'll do is piss them off.

[Alien426]

Fúck. Damn those bastards to hell.

 

After Sam & Max 2 is featured in PC Gamer's The Top 10 Games of 2004 they cancel it...

 

I've signed and will mail.

 

 

EDIT:

You've probably noticed this, but LucasArts really whores out to the masses. Strategy games are hip? Let's make Rebellion, Force Commander, Galactic Battlegrounds. MMORPGs? Let's make Galaxies. Tactical multiplayer games like Battlefield 1942? Let's make Battlefront...

 

With the exception of the un-released Battlefront, all the games got mediocre ratings at best. If they sold well, it was because of the Star Wars license. I'm not one to complain about Star Wars themed games, I loved the Dark Forces / Jedi Knight series. But who is that Vice President of Finance and Operations to pass judgment on how a game will sell that hasn't been released yet? He's probably got nifty surveys and calculations, but has he ever been on the internet, watching the thousands of devoted fan sites? A lot of people I know fondly remember the old adventures and I guess they would buy a quality game IF IT WAS RELEASED!

[elTee]

A redesign of the mojo main page, to suit the current mood and send a message to anyone from LucasArts who comes for a looksee. Click here.

[James Isaac]

I e-mailed them and signed the petition too.

 

Glad to see that so many people are signing it.

 

And, how come you changed the e-mail adresses in your news article?

[elTee]

Three high-up members of staff at LucasArts had their inboxes flooded after Mojo, and susequently other sites, published their email addresses to show their disgust, so people could comment directly to the important people. Not suprisingly, LucasArts contacted mojo to get them to remove the e-mail addresses, so now all mail is sent to some PR inbox.

 

I don't know where to get the e-mail addresses from now.

[James Isaac]

Lol, nice site

 

How many signatures do you want before you send it off?

 

And will they actually read what we send to that new e-mail adress?

[jp-30]

Here's the email I sent;

 

Dear Rhonda,

 

Like the other thousands of emails you'll have received today, I'd like to register my dismay at the cancellation of Sam & Max 2 at this late stage of development.

 

While the marketing team must have the easiest time in the world selling Star Wars products to comitted fans, surely it would not be too much for them to actually have to think creatively once or twice per year to market an original title? It's not like this is a new theme to break to the masses either. Sam & Max are already entrenched in the minds of thousands.

 

This game would be the one to rekindle adventure games playing to people like myself, 30+, with a family, who grew up on the classic LFG/LEC titles of the early 90s. We're a HUGE market. And "we" buy games like Myst & The Sims - not everything need be a FPS or Action flight sim to work.

 

The good news for the marketing team is that this cancellation press release has made headlines around the world (mixnmojo even got slashdotted today) in the games and tech communities. The mileage you got from today's release is huge, worth more than any TV or press campaign. So please be smart and capitalise on it;

 

"Due to unprecidented, overwhelming demand, LEC management has reviewed the Sam & Max decision and decided to continue development of the title for the intended mid-year release"

 

You'll get even more mileage from that turnaround, more free press, plenty of goodwill, and lots and lots of sales.

 

Go get 'em!

 

Kind regards

[JBRAA]

My email....

 

 

To those responsible. Sorry for writing this to the PR. *hug on PR*

************************

 

DUDE!

Steve Purcell should **** the LucasArse!

 

Tim Schafer and Steve Purcell should make Sam & Max 2 together after

Psychonats is released.

 

You are SO PATHETIC!

 

Everyone loves Sam & Max! Educate your self man! You are LACKING knowledge.

Understand who to listen to.

The talents are the most crusial essential resource of your company. They

should be personally responsible for

their game, not you.

 

Listen! Steve Purcell is very talented. He's extremly good. Follow his

lead and financial and popular success WILL

follow.

 

Also. You clearly didn't LEARN ANYTHING from your 20th celebration LEGACY.

 

 

YOUR COMPANY IS EXTREMELY MISMANAGED.

 

Up yours,

signed

[JBRAA]

Reply to jp-30:

Well said and good point. Bullseye perhaps. Interesting to follow this up. Could this be a planed PR stunt?

[elTee]

I doubt its a PR stunt. I also highly doubt that they'll reconsider the status of Sam and Max, because then it would seem like the fans had some power. Which we clearly don't. The only thing they have achieved is biggest alienation ever by a three line statement. They've shown a lack of respect to their fans, and displayed poor managerial intelligence. Worst of all, they've created the biggest backlash this community has ever experienced, and we'll be feeling the repercussions for a long time to come.

[Brushguy]

This day was going great for me! I was getting on ebay, getting some old Lucasarts adventures....

 

then I visited samandmax.net. I was in so much utter disbelief that I fell out of my chair. It's all over the Mixnmojo network. "Sam and Max 2 Cancelled." I can't believe Lucasarts. What's up with them? I can say this and I'm spelling it out for you Lucasarts...

 

YOU ARE A DOOMED COMPANY

 

If they are relying on a stupid and dying Star Wars tie-in franchise, somebody should dig a grave for them. Nobody except mindless gamers will buy their Star Wars junk. So what if it sells well? The thousand gamers hovering around on the Mixnmojo Forums won't buy it. I was going to buy Full Throttle II. I was going to enjoy Full Throttle II. My little brother is wild over the original Full Throttle and he wanted #2. But when I told him those idiots at Lucasarts pulled the plug, he cried for a straight half-hour.

 

Now with Sam and Max 2: I am crying. This is utterly ridiculous! I was on the edge of my seat for a whole stinkin' year man! And now.....!!! I think Lucasarts' quote "sales manager" has lost his mind because he deserves to be locked up in a straitjacket. Lucasarts has finally descended to the bottom of the gaming barrel.

 

I am never gonna buy another one of their stinkin' products again EVER! I am so mad I don't have a large enough vocabulary to express myself. The reason I won't buy from them again is this: all they'll ever make from here on out is Star Wars junk. The chances of a Monkey Island 5 or Grim Fandango 2 from them is less than zero. Lucasarts, you've lost a loyal adventure fan today.

 

In case you didn't get the picture, I hate you. I signed that petition and when it reaches 3000 complaints, go drop it in their inbox.

 

 

It's raining and storming outside right now. Appropriate.