The Monkey Island SCUMM Bar: LucasArts to fans: 'You suck!' (almost)

'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.'

So states Mike Nelson, Acting General Manager and VP of Finance and Operations at LucasArts, about the cancellation of Sam & Max: Freelance Police. Why is this a big deal for Monkey Island fans? One thing is that the game had the potential to be the best thing from LucasArts since Grim Fandango, but far worse is the fact that the reasoning LucasArts gives for canceling it. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that they really claim that the adventure genre for the PC is dead, which in turn makes the possibilities for a Monkey Island 5 gloomy at best.

So what can you do? There's already been some petitions floating around, but those rarely do any good. The real way to go is direct communication with LucasArts; earlier Mojo and Adventure Gamers published e-mail addresses to key executives at LucasArts, which obviously did the trick as they were asked to remove them. We can only assume that they got flooded by e-mails. You can however still write pr@lucasarts.com to make your voice heard though, and if you truly want to see LucasArts change their course, we suggest you do it. Need inspiration? Read these!

For now, enjoy this wallpaper made by our very own Gabez. ;D

RIP Sam & Max 2 :~

Posted Mar 03, 2004

LucasArts have lost a lot of respect today. They're not saying Sam and Max was a bad game, like with Full Throttle 2 - they're saying they don't want to make adventure games anymore. As far as I'm concerned, thats the same as Ford saying they don't want to make cars anymore, or McDonalds saying they don't want to make burgers anymore.

Fine. Other companies are still sticking with the genre, and Tim Schafer has his own company now. LucasArts is dead - long live the Adventure game!

Posted Mar 03, 2004

Well said. And even if FT2 was a bad game, it kinda sucks that they didn't stick at it to make it good (some of the later screenshots looked nice). But I digress.

I'm still kind of hopeful for a Monkey Island 5, but I think it's less likely. :/

Posted Mar 03, 2004

Also - that image is no way an idealised version of Simon Jeffery. I swear. ;)

Posted Mar 03, 2004

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Darn! I've been wanting a Sam and Max sequal forever! LucasArts adventure games are the BEST, and to see another die... sickens me. I knew it would happen though, because we only saw a tiny bit of screenshots. Oh well...

Posted Mar 03, 2004

We must stop whining and start planning. I have the perfect plan; we shall have a revolution.
YES! A revolution. We will form one giant army of monkey island fans, and hordes of us will storm the LucasArts headquarters (or TP George Lucas's house) and DEMAND for additional adventure games. And, if our demands don't work, we can all make our own Monkey Island 5. Sure, I draw like a fifth grader, but that'll still beat MI4 (oooo).

Nah, that'll never work. As though I'd ever emerge from my basement. Sigh. Hell, who knows. We can only hope. Maybe we can ask Ron Gilbert to lend us a hand. Another MI2 would be sweet ;)

Posted Mar 03, 2004

I don't care if LucasArts never make a decent adventure again, as long as they keep trying. Or even better, say "this is the last one" and release Sam and Max 2, going out with a bang. I tell you this though, if they're stopping making adventure games full stop, they damn well better release the source for SCUMM.

Posted Mar 03, 2004

:(

Posted Mar 03, 2004

http://lucastones.mixnmojo.com/newmojo.jpg

Posted Mar 03, 2004

Lucas is sooo.... argh. The only people at that lucas doesn

Posted Mar 04, 2004

2 true, Ive counted @ least 4 star wars games released in the last few mkonths. i signed up 2 lucusArts e-mail list so that i could recieve e-mails about MI, Sam and Max etc etc, but all Ive been sent is 2 e-mails containing nothing but star wars. Wheres MI? Or Sam and Max? They deserve 2 be branded idiots of the year (or century) if they stop the adventure game line. They could corner such a big, demanding and popular market if they work @ it, and stop releasing poorly rated star wars type games, and concentrate on improving the adventure game genre, not giving up on it. Its an appauling saga, and I hope this trend doesnt continue.

Posted Mar 04, 2004

I dont mean 2 sound disrespectful of such a good game, but by saying that they're not going 2 b working on Sam and Max, does this mean more consideration, time and effort would be directed towards the release of (a deb8ed) MI5? I know, its a bad thought 2 have, Id LOVE a Sam and Max sequel, but maybe they're going 2 do 1 @ a time(?). It was just a thought, I dont necessarily like it, but I think its a possibility.

Posted Mar 04, 2004

*Sits in the corner weeping*

Posted Mar 04, 2004

Let's hope so Johners, but remember that LucasArts have said that they don't think that it's the right time for any graphic adventure to be out on the PC. Sucks, sucks, sucks.

Posted Mar 04, 2004

Yeah, I guess im just in denial! It just dosent seem right. Thats what I get when I raise my hopes 2 high. Im still hoping and praying 4 both Sam and Max and MI5, but I guess we're going 2 b put 2nd place, again. Oh, you can tell I had a productive day, I worked out that 'Monkey Island' is an anagram of 'kindly mean so' - a little ironic I think...

Posted Mar 04, 2004

I now hate LucasArts, I never thought I'd see the day... *crys and stabs her LucasArts mouse pad even more*

Posted Mar 04, 2004

Ive never played a sam & max game. but everyone likes it and i love the adventure genre. how dare lucasArts say they wont make any more. I say we get on the carribean with Guybrush and the lucasArts people and mutiny. ha ha

Posted Mar 04, 2004

When is it eva a gd or bad time 2 release a game? I cant see that theres much other competition by any other adventure game, especially ones such as S&M or MI. Id buy MI or S&M games weneva, and id of thought that they'd make the same amount of money weneva they release it. O well, im obviously not psychic enough 2 make such a desision.

Posted Mar 05, 2004

can't believe no more MI.....I refuse to believe it! They're toying with us and if they don't stop I will NEVER buy another Lucas Arts game in my life! (Lucas Arts please note - I will still PLAY your games but will get them from the pirate stall at the local Sunday market - hah!) If they won't give us the new Sam & Max or another MI (and preferably another MI2) they should give the rights to a company that will!

Posted Mar 06, 2004