Saints Row developer Volition Games has been shut down

Volition Games, the studio behind franchises like Saints Row and Red Faction, has effectively shut down immediately.

The news first appeared on X.com, where several employees posted that they had been let go and that the studio no longer existed. In an official statement about Studio websiteVolition reports that Swedish holding company Embracer Group, which acquired the studio in 2018, forced it to cease operations as part of Embracer’s company-wide restructuring. Volition’s full farewell post reads:

“The Volition team has proudly been creating world-class entertainment for audiences around the world for 30 years. Our community has been driven by passion and has always served to delight, surprise and delight.

Last June, Embracer Group announced a restructuring program to strengthen Embracer and maintain its position as a leader in the video game industry. As part of this program, they evaluated strategic and operational objectives and made the difficult decision to close Volition effective immediately.

To help our team, we’re working to provide job assistance and help ease the transition process for our Volition family members. We thank our customers and fans around the world for all the love and support over the years. “You will always be in our hearts.”

– Games of will

Embracer’s restructuring is the result of the disastrous collapse of a proposed $2 billion partnership with Savvy Games Group, an organization funded by Saudi Arabia, which pulled out of the deal in May. This sent the value of Embracer’s shares plummeting, forcing the giant to cut costs after it had spent years acquiring several game studios and entertainment IPs, such as The Lord of the Rings.

Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors announced at Open letter Plans to make the company “leaner, stronger, more focused and more self-sufficient”, which included plans to close or sell some of its game studios, along with halting projects in development and other cost-saving measures. Unfortunately, Volition became one of the first victims of this restructuring.

Saints Row: The Third Remastered Edition

Volition’s demise comes after the company celebrated its 30th anniversary as a studio in June. Starting with the Descent series (released under Voliton’s original name, Parallax Software) and releasing cult favorites like Summoner, they enjoyed great success with the Red Faction franchise throughout the 2000s, culminating with the well-received Red Faction: Guerilla in The year is 2009. The Xbox 360 generation would begin with the release of Saints Row, a GTA-inspired series that would steadily gain popularity and a unique identity before reaching its peak with 2011’s critically acclaimed Saints Row: The Third.

However, after the release of Saints Row IV in 2013, the studio entered a difficult period. It took a swing at a new IP in 2017’s lukewarmly received Agents of Mayhem, which had disappointing sales. Her last game, 2022 Saints Row rebootalso received a mixed response from fans and performed poorly in sales to the point that Embracer Moved the studio to Gearbox. With the studio closing, it’s unclear what will happen to Saints Row, Red Faction, and the other franchises under its umbrella.

While the past few years haven’t been Volition’s type, there’s no denying the positive impact its games and series have had on the industry. What is your favorite Volition game? Share your memories in the comments below.