Saints Row was rebooted in February 2022, launching to a considerably negative reception and vast swathes of highly critical reviews. It wasn’t the resurgence everyone had envisioned, and it ultimately caused the implosion of the franchise, boasting lacklustre gameplay, more bugs than features, and a relatively ridiculous story.
However, it has been claimed that it should have been something else entirely. In a lengthy video, one Saints Row creator and insider touches upon the failed title, stressing that the original plan was to feature a story carried on the shoulders of the ‘OG Saints’: Johnny Gat, Dex, Aisha, Pierce, and Shaundi.
So, What Happened?
Well, the publisher happened — reportedly. In the video uploaded by ‘mrsaintsgodzilla21’, it was suggested that the initial plan would have delivered a game set around the original characters, with Mike Watson reportedly penning a mission that would see players ‘properly’ kill Dex once and for all.
It was supposed to feature a make-up that was around ‘80% Saints Row 2 and 20% Saints Row the Third’, allowing the game to boast over-the-top moments mixed in with an impactful, immersive, gritty story. It was all because of ‘the publisher’s vision’ that this proposal didn’t surface. In the video, it’s suggested that Deep Silver shut down or changes many key aspects of the game, causing walk-outs and dismay at Volition.
Here’s the video:
Of course, Volition would go on to shut down operations after two decades in the industry. It’s not known what’ll happen to Saints Row at this point but it has been stressed that the series isn’t dead forever.
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