Saints Row’s future is in doubt as studio Volition is absorbed into Gearbox Software

The reboot of Saints Row already proved controversial before it even launched. That didn’t seem to change upon release, receiving an incredibly mixed response across the board. Some loved it, some hated it, and publisher Embracer Group is fully aware of this.

Today, the company acknowledged the game’s polarising reception, saying it “did not meet the full expectations.” Yet it sounds like it did decently financially, with Embracer adding that it “performed in line with management expectations in the quarter.” As such, it’s difficult to tell what the future of the Saints Row series looks like, especially since developer Volition is being absorbed into Gearbox, the studio behind the Borderlands series.

On its website, all Embracer says is, “Going forward, Volition will transition to become part of Gearbox which has all the tools, including an experienced management team in the U.S., to create future success at Volition. This is the first internal group transfer where we transfer a major studio between operative groups, but it is not necessarily the last.”

There’s no mention of the studio itself being closed, so it sounds more like Volition will act as a subsidiary for Gearbox and continue to work on its own projects, rather than be reassigned to Gearbox’s projects. This comes on the same day as Saints Row’s The Bright Future update, the game’s first major update since launch that addresses a long list of issues, adds some quality-of-life touches, etc. The full list of details can be found on the game’s website.

It doesn’t sound like Volition’s move to Gearbox means it will stop working on the game. A recent blog post on its website says that it has plans for long-term support well into 2023, including story content that will release as part of the game’s expansion pass. However, it’s unclear whether Embracer intends to continue the Saints Row series.