Volition, the studio behind the beloved Saints Row series, has announced it is shutting down after 30 years. Recently, it published a statement discussing its history as a company over the decades, giving credit to the talent that has passed through its doors along with its dedicated fanbase.
The news initially came out on X, with several employees noting that they had been let go and the studio was closing its doors. Volition said the reason behind the shutdown was because Embracer Group, the holdings company that acquired the developer in 2018, had forced it to cease operations as part of a restructuring.
Embracer’s restructuring is the byproduct of a collapsed proposal for a $2 billion partnership with Savvy Games Group, which retracted from the deal back in May. This resulted in share values plummeting and Embracer having no choice but to cut costs after it spent years making acquisitions for major entertainment IPs and game studios.
Lars Wingefors, the CEO of Embracer, wrote an open letter that detailed plans to remake the company into one that is “leaner, stronger, more focused, and self-sufficient.” Sadly, this included plans to shut down or sell several game studios, which have also halted many development projects as part of cost-saving measures. Volition represents one of the initial casualties.
Volition’s shutdown came after the company recently celebrated its 30th anniversary back in June. The studio began under the name Parallax Software, creating the Descent series, and cult classics like Summoner, then releasing the Red Faction franchise in the 2000s which peaked with the critically acclaimed Red Faction: Guerilla (2009). The next generation would be followed with its GTA-inspired series known as Saints Row.
While Volition has struggled in recent years, most especially with its failed reboot of Saints Row in 2022, it is unclear what will become of its many legendary franchises.