Volition, the studio behind Saints Row, Agents of Mayhem, and Red Faction Guerilla, is closing down
Last year, Volition released a reboot of Saints Row, but it didn’t exactly set the world on fire. Now, apparently, the studio is shutting down “effective immediately” with mass layoffs. The studio previously responsible for the Saints Row and Red Faction series is also behind Agents of Mayhem, one of the best open-world games on PC.
Following the release of Saints Row: Forward to the Past, Volition received additional funding from parent company Embracer Group. The plan was for Volition to work with Gearbox Entertainment to assist with the upcoming releases, but that plan is no longer happening.
“Effective immediately, Embracer Group has decided to close Volition, Inc. and its subsidiaries. The decision to close the studios was made after a careful review of the company’s strategic direction,” a post on Volition’s LinkedIn page confirms. “The company will provide job assistance and support to our employees during the transition.”
The exact number of layoffs hasn’t been disclosed yet, but it seems like most, if not all, team members have been let go. Embracer Group’s parent company announced a restructuring program earlier this year, making Volition’s closure less surprising.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – Embracer Group’s CEO previously emphasised that this was a positive opportunity for employees to find work elsewhere. The closure does raise questions about Embracer Group’s recent strategy of acquiring studios only to close them down later, but it may be part of a larger industry trend.
Either way, it’s never good to see people lose their job. Our thoughts are with the former Volition employees during this transition.
Take a look at the other upcoming games for 2023. You can also check out the best sandbox games on PC if you’re a big Volition fan.
