Postal III uses Source Engine

Controversial developer Running With Scissors has announced that the third instalment in its Postal series of shooters, due out on PC and Xbox 360 in 2008, will use Valve's Source Engine.

Used most notably for Half-Life 2 and its expansions, the Source Engine is now available for Xbox 360 developers to base their games on.

RWS also said this week that the game would be produced in conjunction with developer/publisher Akella.

"We've always maintained since publishing the original Postal that the game is only as violent as the player wants it to be," said RWS CEO Vince Desi, getting in early with the defensive sound bites, "and we're committed to expanding this unique form of gameplay in this next addition to the ongoing storyline."

Postal III will apparently include motion-captured performances by various celebrities, including film stars and Playboy Playmates, and will continue to star the nameless "Postal Dude" in a story that continues to focus on "social satire and politically incorrect virtual violence".

Previous references to the game called it "Postal III: Catharsis", although there's no sign of that subtitle in the latest announcement.

It's also worth noting that the game will arrive some time after the Postal film which German film-maker Uwe Boll is directing. The Postal film should take to the silver screen (or, possibly, go direct to video) sometime next year.