The International House of Mojo

In a move sure to confuse everyone ever, LucasArts has run the following large recruitment advertisement, in the April issue of Game Developer magazine. The ad just says: "We're looking for experienced Artists, Programmers, Production Staff!" along with a gigantic picture of Sam and Max. Misleading much?

Attention talented game developers who might be lured in by the notion of working on a visually rich story-based comedy retro-throwback title: Send us things. Yes congrats you're hired. No, that game was cancelled, you'll be working on Republic Commando. Yes you're the one who will be adding the yellow and red stripes to the squad leader costumes. No, sorry all we listen to in here is the original score to The Phantom Menace. If you try to quit we will sue you.

In all fairness, it takes at least a month between when ads are sold for a magazine, and when the magazine actually goes to press and gets mailed out. That said, you'd think LucasArts would have chosen a more stable game to feature in the ad, wouldn't you? Unless Sam & Max Freelance Police was actually cancelled 100% spur of the moment without an ounce of prior warning (not that unlikely, really), they had to have known the game was skating on thin ice a month or so ago. Surely the same people who approved that ad running in Game Developer Magazine were at least only a few doors down from the people casting dubious glances at Mike Stemmle and his team for the last few weeks.

When questioned about the ad and the high possibility that it will severely confuse, anger, or depress the world's game developer community, LucasArts acting Acting General Manager and VP of Finance and Operations Mike Nelson claimed, "We were just testing them. But no, seriously, the game's still cancelled."

Thanks to the Adventure Gamer forums for the tip.