There are two lines of thinking when it comes to hyping a sequel for one of a publisher’s flagship properties. The first involves weighing in first-week sales numbers and critical response, and then revealing that a follow-up is in order. The other, more heavy-handed approach sees the publisher announcing a sequel even before the title has reached store shelves. With a title with as much bravado as Saints Row: The Third, can you guess which route developer THQ took?

While over the coming months, as the title began to reveal itself as a unique sandbox title, gamers have built quite a bit of anticipation for the title, there’s still no guarantee how well it will sell. But don’t tell that to Bilson, who feels extremely confident in Saints Row: The Third, and even thinks the team at Volition has some compelling ideas for its follow-up.

What those ideas are exactly, Bilson wouldn’t say, but the direction appears to be clear from THQ’s perspective.

Talking to G4TV, Bilson revealed that he knows where Saints Row 4 is headed, and that it’s “a good example of how you take what you have and you say, 'What can happen in the next?'"

With Saints Row: The Third already delivering a handful of cherished memories, and more gameplay options than Professor Genki could shake a stick at, there’s surprisingly more mystery surrounding this future Saints title than one would expect. So far, from what we know of Saints Row: The Third’s story, the Third Street Saints have reached the pinnacle of their success and are fighting to protect that high-standing as it is challenged by rival gangs and military groups.

It’s funny to think that what was once a GTA clone that never got the appreciation it deserved has now blossomed into one of the more enticing titles of this crowded Fall season. If Volition and THQ know where they want to take the series, and it’s a logical progression from the balls-to-the-wall sequences we’ve been seeing from Saints Row: The Third, then bring it on.

Saints Row: The Third might not even be out yet, but are you ready for a sequel? Do you think that the series has transitioned into something completely different from what it originally started out as?

Saints Row: The Third releases November 15, 2011 for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.

Source: G4TV