Regular readers will know that we here at Game Rant are big fans of the Saints Row franchise. What developer Volition was able to do with the franchise, especially in the last two entries, not only fueled endless conversations, but also had us laughing for days.
At the same time, it felt like Saints Row the Third and Saints Row IV were the perfect send-offs for the franchise. Volition had taken the franchise from a second rate Grand Theft Auto clone and transformed it into its own thing, a balls-to-the-wall open world dubstep-fueled adventure.
So while we have mixed feelings about Volition going back to the Saints Row well, we are happy to report the developer is expanding, likely in preparation for a new title. The East Central Illinois Gazette broke the news saying the company is seeking incentives from the city of Champaign in order to remodel their offices and expand by as many as 100 employees.
Obviously, news of Volition's expansion instantly sparked speculation that the developer is gearing up for Saints Row 5. We've heard rumors for quite some time that Volition is developing a follow-up of some sort (reboot or sequel), and with a bigger fan following thanks to the success of Saints Rows 3 and 4 they presumably have to push the envelope with this next game.
Another likely possibility is that Volition is staffing up for a second project, in addition to Saints Row 5. After all, if Volition were already working on Saints Row 5 it wouldn't make sense for them to file for an expansion midway through development.
The dual development team theory also makes sense considering Volition is one of the strongest developers within publisher Deep Silver's stable. Volition was a hot commodity coming out of the THQ bankruptcy auction, and Deep Silver quickly snatched them up and put them as a major centerpiece of their company alongside Dead Island.
So although it may be a while until we learn what exactly Volition is working on, it seems pretty clear that some big things are happening over at Johnny Gat's house. It's a safe bet to say something involving Saints Row is likely in the works, but even more exciting is the prospect of a new project. Not bad for a studio whose legacy includes the dubstep gun and dildo bat.
Do you think it's time for Volition to announce a new Saints Row game? Or would you like to see the developer take its talents to a different project?
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Source: News-Gazette