Rockstar may be facing new competition all over again.
As reported by Video Games Chronicle, Embracer Group is currently taking a pitch for a new Saints Row game. Specifically, Christ Stockman, who was the design director of the original game, is pitching a prequel for the original game.
In an interview with PCGamesN, Stockman said this:
I want to bring the Saints Row franchise back to its roots. As you know I directed Saints Row 1 and I feel the series has strayed way too far away from that. I completely understand why they went that way but in the end they kind of painted themselves into a corner they couldn’t get out of.
Stockman also revealed that Embracer reached out to him because of his interview last month. For now, Stockman does not have more to say.
We can’t talk about this being a confirmed game (yet) or what the game will be about. But Stockman has told us enough to rule out two things.
This Saints Row Game Won’t Continue The Recent Reboot
It goes without saying that the recent reboot is an undeniable failure on every metric. As the game that literally shut down Volition, there’s no need to talk about it again.
But there is something to be said about why Volition went in that direction, and also why Stockman isn’t planning to bring back the rumored Saints Row Cinco.
This Saints Row Game Won’t Follow Saints Row IV Either
If you hear someone say that Volition should just go back to where Saints Row IV left off, take that as a sign you can disregard their opinion. Because they’re clearly a tourist who hasn’t played the games, or even done some research.
Because Saints Row IV’s left turn from Grand Theft Auto-lite to quasi superhero parody was divisive. It’s better than the reboot, but it was still unpopular and a disappointment to most fans.
Subsequently, some fans consider Saints Row: Gat Out Of Hell as the final straw. While Johnny Gat was a hugely popular character, having him return from hell was one step too far for the Saints Row faithful.
What Will A Next Generation Saints Row Game Look Like?
If this Saints Row game goes into production, it will probably come out around the same time the tenth generation of consoles comes from Sony and Microsoft.
We can see it be a bigger game than is possible today, but the story will also be interesting. The original game didn’t take the comedic tone yet, and had a more free form approach to progression, even more than Grand Theft Auto.
It will be interesting to see if this game leans on the things that Volition abandoned in Saints Row 2. The first generation of games had a Godzilla-like arc from being gritty to fun. Maybe going back to the grit is the direction that this Grand Theft Auto-like needs to return to form.
