It’s never easy to make a video game, and sometimes you wonder if you’re doing the right thing via some of your decisions. However, the catch is that sometimes developers intentionally release a game before it’s ready and, just as important, before it’s actually fun. Sadly, we’ve seen many examples of this over the last few months alone. But in 2022, a big AAA title that tried to “re-spark some magic” and failed horribly was the Saints Row by Volition. They went all in on new characters, a new setting, foes, etc. But in the end, it wasn’t worth it.
We’re not only quoting the critics and gamers on this but the publisher of the game, Embracer. The Embracer Group had a financial meeting and admitted that the game sold “below managerial expectations.” They wouldn’t tell how much the game sold or how much money they lost, but a previous report stated that they lost $100 million due to the terrible launch.
Why was it terrible? First, the game wasn’t as slick and fun as previous games. Many cited the “outdated” gameplay method regarding “bullet sponge enemies” and how the game handles. Second, the story and characters weren’t engaging, which was a key part of the original games. Even when they were doing things like skydiving through the air with tanks, you felt for “The Boss” and other characters like Pierce, Shaundi, Kenzie, Johnny Gat, etc. They were iconic characters in their own right, and this new batch didn’t “move” people as the OGs did.
Finally, there were the bugs and glitches. Unfortunately, the game was such a mess at launch that there were game-breaking glitches within the title and ones that would halt progression in story missions. There were even gameplay mechanics that didn’t function properly!
You’d think that after such an embarrassment, The Embracer Group would halt anything to do with the game, but that’s not the case. In that same financial report, they stated how they would keep making updates for the Saints Row Reboot; some of them have come out this month. A DLC package came out earlier in May, and just last week, there was a free update to help overhaul certain things and fix bugs.
Whether this will matter and improve the game in the long run remains to be seen. But at the very least, they’re not giving up on the title, which says something.
