Chris Stockman, the design director for the original Saints Row, has declared the franchise 'dead.' According to Eurogamer, Stockman stated in a Discord for his new company, Bit Planet Games, that he believes Embracer Group has 'zero ability' to do anything with the IP.
Stockman revealed that he pitched a plan to take the series back to its roots but was ghosted by Embracer. 'I wish things were different. I tried my best to offer a path forward but they've ghosted me,' he wrote. This follows the closure of developer Volition in 2023 after the disappointing 2022 reboot.
In a February 17 Discord message, Stockman reiterated that Embracer holds all the cards, stating they could license the IP to him, but he has done all he can to initiate a revival.
The potential return of Saints Row faces significant challenges. The series thrived during the peak of anarchic crime sandbox games in the mid-to-late 2000s. Today, the novelty of such open-world playgrounds has faded, joining other dormant franchises like Prototype and Crackdown. While the classic games remain enjoyable, imagining a fresh, successful reboot in the current landscape is difficult.