REACTION - Volition’s closure is a tremendous waste of talent, and a huge misstep by Embracer

All aboard the stupid train.

By Jonathan Garrett
31/08/23

We certainly didn’t see that coming. Today, Embracer announced that Saints Row and Red Faction developer Volition is shutting down, effective immediately. This short sighted and poorly timed move comes hot on the heels of the recent Saints Row reboot making its way onto PS+ Essential, two premium expansions and a pile of updates.

The game itself didn’t launch in a particularly good state, with reviews and general sentiment reflecting that. But the steady effort to make improvements, off the back of a thirty year development legacy, makes today’s announcement all the more egregious. Embracer only acquired them five years ago, amid a flurry of other high profile acquisitions including Crystal Dynamics, Gearbox, and Eidos Montreal. They have clearly over extended themselves, and now hundreds of talented developers are paying the price for their callous approach.

This is exactly what we were afraid of. We wish everyone at Volition all the very best for their future.

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