Major Blow to the Gaming Industry: Volition, the Developer Behind Saints Row, Forced to Cease Operations

Highlights

Volition, the developer of the Saints Row franchise, is being closed down by Embracer Group as part of its restructuring program.

This decision was likely influenced by the disappointing release of the new Saints Row reboot. Volition had experienced difficulties in sales with Agents of Mayhem and encountered challenges during the development of the Saints Row reboot, resulting in mixed reviews and alienation from the franchise's loyal fanbase.

Volition, the developer of the Saints Row franchise, is being shut down as part of Embracer Group's restructuring program. The decision to not remake or remaster the original game and Saints Row 2 had already raised concerns among fans about the future of Volition. It appears that these worries were justified, as the underperformance of the new Saints Row reboot at launch played a significant role in Embracer Group's decision to indefinitely shelve the franchise.

Volition had previously faced difficulties with sales of Agents of Mayhem, and their struggles continued with the development of the Saints Row reboot. The game received mediocre reviews and failed to resonate with the franchise's core audience, making it difficult to recover the ambitious budget invested in its production. While fans had anticipated the uncertain fate of the Saints Row franchise, the announcement of Volition's closure still comes as a shock.

The announcement was made on LinkedIn, where Volition expressed its pride in the work of its team over the past thirty years. The company expressed gratitude to its fans for their loyal support and announced plans to assist its former developers in finding new employment opportunities elsewhere. Although Embracer's decision is immediate, the restructuring program for its studios has been known internally since June, providing Volition's employees with ample time to prepare. Embracer Group had previously closed a studio that had been in operation for less than a year, likely as part of the same restructuring program.

While the closure of Volition is undoubtedly a significant loss, Embracer acquired the rights to Lord of the Rings in its latest acquisition spree, further expanding its decentralized network of intellectual properties. Although Volition may have permanently closed, Embracer Group still owns the Saints Row franchise, and there is a possibility that the Swedish video game company may revisit it in the future.

The closure of Volition marks the end of any possibility for the highly anticipated patch to be released for the PC version of Saints Row 2. Regarded by many as the pinnacle of the Saints Row series, the PC release was plagued by persistent performance problems that were never fully resolved. Witnessing the demise of a formerly cherished studio is never an easy experience, and it's conceivable that Embracer Group may face additional challenging revelations in the future. Nevertheless, Volition's achievements with the Saints Row franchise will forever serve as a testament to their imaginative prowess and distinctive approach.