The 2022 Saints Row reboot was originally intended to be the fifth entry
, by Thibaut
The Saints Row reboot released back in August 2022 was such a disaster that it ultimately led to the closure of its developer, Volition. However, things could (should?) have been very different.
In a YouTube video, mrsaintsgodzilla21 made several revelations about this episode. In 2019, the game was titled Saints Row Cinco and was intended to be a direct sequel to Saints Row IV. The creators of the game planned to bring back iconic characters from the franchise and focus on fan service by listening to players' requests.
In terms of tone, 20% of this Saints Row was to be inspired by the third installment and 80% by the second. Development was at a fairly advanced stage, with dialogue already recorded with several actors. However, everything changed when THQ Nordic acquired Deep Silver. The publisher categorically rejected the project and forced Volition to start all over again.
It should also be noted that THQ Nordic reportedly demanded significant restrictions (particularly with regard to profanity). The devs then proposed a new version featuring the Saints from previous games. Once again, the publisher rejected this idea. Other features, such as the protective shield and a system for customizing the city, were also scrapped. Cheat codes and New Game +, which could be unlocked at the end of the game, suffered the same fate.
The fate of Saints Row could therefore have been very different.