Embracer Group has made layoffs at Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition and Mythforce developer Beamdog less than two years after acquiring the studio.
31.08.2023 - 18:13 / videogameschronicle.com / Lars Wingefors
Saints Row developer Volition has been shut down “effective immediately”.
A message from the studio reads: “The Volition team has proudly created world-class entertainment for fans around the globe for 30 years.
“We’ve been driven by a passion for our community and always worked to deliver joy, surprise, and delight.”
“This past June, Embracer Group announced a restructuring program to strengthen Embracer and maintain its position as a leader in the video game industry.
“As part of that program, they evaluated strategic and operational goals and made the difficult decision to close Volition effective immediately.
“To help our team, we are working to provide job assistance and help smooth the transition for our Volition family members.
“We thank our customers and fans around the world for all the love and support over the years. You will always be in our hearts.”
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Volition was originally formed 30 years ago, as Parallax Software Corporation, before changing its name to Volition in 1996.
The studio was acquired by THQ in 2000, and when THQ went bankrupt in 2012 it was then acquired by Koch Media and placed under its Deep Silver label. Koch (now known as Plaion) was then acquired by Embracer Group in 2018.
In its early days, the studio was best known for the Descent series, as well as the Red Faction games.
But it was the Saints Row series – 2006’s Saints Row, Saints Row 2, Saints Row: The Third and Saints Row IV – that became the studio’s most popular franchise.
In recent years Volition’s output has seen less critical acclaim. Agents of Mayhem was released in 2017 to a lukewarm response, and an attempt to reboot Saints Row last year was also met with mixed reviews, with scores of 61-65 on the review aggregation site Metacritic.
Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors previously said he was personally disappointed by the reception to Saints Row, when he spoke during Embracer’s AGM last September.
Months later it was announced thatthe studio was to become part of Gearbox following the disappointing reception to the Saints Row reboot.
However, after Embracer annoucned in June that it planned to close some studios and cancel some projects as part of a new “restructuring program”, it has now emerged that Volition was part of those plans.
Embracer Group has made layoffs at Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition and Mythforce developer Beamdog less than two years after acquiring the studio.
Embracer Group's ongoing restructuring efforts have seemingly resulted in layoffs at MX vs ATV Legends developer Rainbow Studios.
Have you ordered Mortal Kombat 1's Premium Edition? Lucky you – that means you'll get five extra days to get in some practice before the game formally releases on Nintendo Switch, PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, PS5, and Xbox Series X on September 19, 2023.
Saints Row developer Volition has been shut down with immediate effect, shortly after celebrating its 30th year anniversary in June.
Volition, the studio behind the Saints Row series, has closed with immediate effect. The developer said in a statement that the shutdown was a result of restructuring at parent company Embracer Group.
Volition Games has shut down as part of Embracer Group’s ongoing restructuring. The studio, which has roots going back to 1993, is behind the Saint’s Row series, Red Faction, and Summoner.
After 30 years, Volition is closing its doors.
Volition Games, the studio behind Saints Row and Red Faction, has been permanently shut down due to the "restructuring" policy adopted by parent company Embracer Group.
Volition Games, the studio behind franchises such as Saints Row and Red Faction, has been shut down effectively immediately.
A year after the underwhelming release of the Saints Row reboot, and just two months after celebrating 30 years of operation, Volition has been closed.
Volition Games, the studio best known for its work on the Saints Row series, has been closed down «effective immediately» as part of parent company Embracer Group's previously announced «restructuring» programme.
Saints Row developer Volition has been shut down with immediate effect, shortly after celebrating its 30th year anniversary. The news follows as parent company Embracer Group restructured its studio portfolio. Volition had already been moved partly before, becoming part of Gearbox in a reshuffle. That was not enough to save the Saints Row and Agents of Mayhem developer though.