It Sounds Like A Fan Favorite 20-Year-Old Game Series Is Dead

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The video game industry, particularly when it comes to big-budget titles, is becoming increasingly focused on proven brands. While familiar franchises have always been important for developers and publishers, the rising costs of making games mean that even well-known series are struggling. Ubisoft, for example, has had to scale back or cancel plans for revivals of franchises like Watch Dogs and Prince of Persia.

Embarker appears to have taken a similar approach, seemingly ending support for one of its most popular game franchises – a series celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. A former developer claims the company hasn’t responded to ideas for reviving the series and isn’t developing any new installments. This is unfortunate, as the most recent game didn’t live up to the special qualities that made the series so beloved.

Saints Row Might Be Dead, According To One Of The Original Developers

It appears the Saints Row series is over. The action game, which started in 2006, initially aimed to compete with Grand Theft Auto, focusing on a gang’s rise to power in the city of Stilwater. Over time, it became known for its over-the-top, humorous style, eventually escalating to the point where the player character became the President of the United States fighting off aliens. A 2022 reboot tried to return to the series’ roots, but it didn’t impress critics or players. Poor sales led to the cancellation of future games, and ultimately, the closure of the game’s developer, Volition, a year later. Chris Stockman, a key figure in the original game’s creation, now believes the series won’t be revived.

Former Volition creative director Jim Stockman shared with fans on Discord that he proposed a fresh reboot of the Saints Row series to Embracer Group, but received no reply. This has led him to believe that Embracer has no plans to revive the franchise, and he fears the series is effectively finished. “I honestly think the franchise is dead,” he stated, adding that he feels Embracer is unable to do anything with it and that they’ve ignored his suggestions. This lack of response suggests the studio didn’t have any backup plans for the game’s future. With Embracer currently focused on other titles like Killing Floor 3, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, Darksiders 4, and Tomb Raider (through Crystal Dynamics), it’s understandable why they’re stepping away from Saints Row. Still, it’s disappointing to think the series might be cancelled for good.

How Saints Row Became Something Special

The Saints Row series stood out in the open-world action genre as something uniquely playful. While the first game was decent, it didn’t really stand out from the crowd. Saints Row 2 improved things and established the series’ core gameplay, but it was Saints Row: The Third in 2011 that truly changed everything. It intentionally cranked up the action, embraced a ridiculous storyline, and developed a funny, self-aware humor. This approach resonated with players and critics, who enjoyed its fresh take on the genre’s typical themes. Two years later, Saints Row IV doubled down on the absurdity, becoming an even bigger hit and selling over a million copies in its first week.

As a longtime fan, I always loved how wonderfully weird the Saints Row games were – the developers kept throwing these crazy ideas at us, and we ate it up! They had some great DLC packs for a while, but things eventually slowed down, which led to the 2022 reboot and now, it sounds like the series might be over after Embracer’s decisions. Honestly, if this is really the end, it’s a huge bummer. Saints Row really perfected the sandbox game – it let you live out this insane power fantasy, going from a small-time gang leader to the President of the United States, fighting aliens and just being completely over-the-top. It was silly, it was fun, and it’s hard not to feel a little sad knowing that might all be gone for good. It feels like it’s time to say goodbye to a real favorite.

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2026-02-28 08:40