Saints Row 1 design director Chris Stockman has stated he believes the collection is now “useless” and that proprietor Embracer has “zero potential” to do something with the franchise.
The one-time Grand Theft Auto competitor hasn’t seen a brand new entry since 2022’s ill-fated reboot, Saints Row. It obtained a combined reception from followers, with IGN’s Saints Row evaluate returning a 6/10. “Saints Row delivers no scarcity of shallow shoot ’em up thrills, but it surely’s a really acquainted and uninspired model of sandbox enjoyable,” we stated at the time. Gross sales have been depressed, and developer Volition shut down in 2023. We haven’t heard about Saints Row from Embracer since.
So, is Saints Row useless? Stockman, talking in the Discord for his studio, Bit Planet Video games, stated he thinks it’s, having pitched a revival to Embracer (by way of subsidiary Plaion) and heard nothing again.
Stockman, who left Volition throughout pre-production of Saints Row 2, stated final month: “… actually, I believe the franchise is useless, sadly. I get the sense that Embracer has zero potential to do something with it.”
He continued: “I want issues have been completely different. I attempted my finest to supply a path ahead however they’ve ghosted me.”
IGN requested Embracer for an announcement on Stockman’s feedback and for a standing replace on Saints Row, however a spokesperson stated the firm doesn’t touch upon “rumors and hypothesis.”
Extra lately, Stockman clarified he’d spoken to Plaion about Saints Row, and he requested about the chance of promoting the IP, “however as I discussed earlier than they refuse to answer my messages and emails.”
“Firms of that dimension virtually by no means promote their IP as a result of it, finally, devalues their buy value in the event that they resolve to promote or attempt to tackle funding,” Stockman stated.
The upshot of all that is Saints Row celebrates its twentieth anniversary this yr (the first recreation got here out on August 29, 2006) and it appears like a brand new recreation in the collection is additional away than ever. However one factor appears clear: if the firm does have a secret plan for a brand new Saints Row, Stockman isn’t concerned.
“So long as they [Embracer] are in enterprise they personal it,” Stockman added. “In the event that they went out of enterprise or filed for chapter it could get auctioned off to the highest bidder.
“They may license it to me or contract us to handle it. However I’ve executed all I can do to try to make that occur.”
Upcoming Embracer video games embody Killing Flooring 3, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, the Embracer-owned Crystal Dynamics’ new Tomb Raider video games, and Darksiders 4. The destiny of the Lord of the Rings MMO, developed by Amazon Video games in collaboration with Embracer-owned Center-earth Enterprises, is unclear. Lifeless Island 3 is in the works at Dambuster Studios, and is due out in the first half of 2028.
Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You possibly can attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.