Saints Row Reboot Was Originally a Full-Fledged Sequel Ignoring the Events of Saints Row 4 – Rumour

by

The Saints Row series, following its disappointing 2022 reboot that faltered both commercially and critically, is currently on hiatus. A recently surfaced video offers a peek into what could have been the game’s direction, as shared by YouTube user mrsaintsgodzilla21 who visited Volition, the now-defunct developer, back in 2019. The timing of this video, released three years after the reboot, coincides with the expiration of the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) signed during their visit.

In the video, the presenter talks about their studio visit and getting a chance to try out an early version of a game called “Saints Row Cinco,” which is apparently the fifth main installment in the series. Unlike “Saints Row 4,” this game does not seem to follow up on Earth’s destruction but instead continues from where “Saints Row The Third” ended, disregarding Johnny Gat’s death.

In the upcoming sequel titled “Saints Row Cinco,” the narrative will primarily focus on the Third Street Saints gang, featuring prominent figures such as The Boss, Shaundi, Pierce, and Johnny Gat. They’ll establish a fresh base in Santo Ileso. The video host mentions that the game’s tone is influenced by 20% of the absurd humor from “Saints Row The Third,” combined with an astounding 80% of the realistic gameplay and incidents from “Saints Row 2.” It’s worth noting that a significant portion of character voices, like Pierce, have already been recorded during development.

Despite initial plans, the upcoming sequel of Saints Row encountered significant challenges when Deep Silver got acquired by THQ Nordic. As a result, the new publisher, THQ Nordic, demanded a thorough overhaul of the in-progress Saints Row game. Under this new management, Volition was tasked with creating fresh ideas, including tight limitations on character dialogue. Interestingly, even though it’s a game about a criminal gang, THQ Nordic’s guidelines prohibited certain swear words from appearing in character speech. One of the ideas Volition proposed to THQ Nordic was a complete remake of Saints Row, featuring recurring characters. However, this idea was also turned down.

The video’s main idea hints at THQ Nordic’s leadership possibly lacking an understanding of the Saints Row series. Several gameplay and narrative aspects, such as the feature allowing players to take hostages for cover during fights, were dismissed as too violent.

Besides the current content, there were initially more features designed for the Saints Row reboot that ended up getting removed. These additional features encompassed complex gameplay mechanics such as players gaining control over entire city districts and implementing regulations such as dress codes. Additionally, a detailed talent tree was conceptualized which allowed players to progress through three unique paths – wealth, fame, and strength. Furthermore, a system for establishing new businesses within the city was also intended.

As of now, the latest version of “Saints Row” can be played on computers, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Unfortunately, by May 2024, it had only managed to sell 1.7 million copies. Earlier this year, the CEO of Saber Interactive, Matthew Karch, expressed concerns about the financial viability of the “Saints Row” franchise.

Read More

2025-09-02 18:42