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Embracer closes Volition developer of Freespace, Red Faction, Saints Row

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Well, there goes another big industry name. Embracer Group, who currently own a stupidly vast portfolio of developers and publisher has shut down Volition.

The news was shared by Volition on their LinkedIn that 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.

A shame to see such a name shut. That said, their latest release with the Saints Row reboot didn't exactly gain recognition. It also caused Volition to move under Gearbox. Embracer themselves said that Saints Row had "left the fanbase partially polarized" although the game had "performed in line with management expectations in the quarter".

This won't be the last getting shut, as Embracer previously announced a comprehensive restructuring program.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Misc
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26 comments
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Linux_Rocks Aug 31, 2023
Koopacabras Aug 31, 2023
RIP, Embracer embraced so much that it choked
Mohandevir Aug 31, 2023
They skipped the second "E".


Last edited by Mohandevir on 31 August 2023 at 6:41 pm UTC
pb Aug 31, 2023
Quotevolition, n.: the power to make your own decisions

name doesn't check out
Purple Library Guy Aug 31, 2023
Quoting: MohandevirThey skipped the second "E".
That joke just refuses to get old.
Solitary Aug 31, 2023
Quoting: KoopacabrasRIP, Embracer embraced so much that it choked
Actually I think this death was out of their own volition.
They alienated fans and then they were angry that nobody liked the game.
Arehandoro Aug 31, 2023
<insert here anti capitalist stance>
TheSHEEEP Aug 31, 2023
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QuoteEmbracer themselves said that Saints Row had "left the fanbase partially polarized"
I don't think so.
The game is pretty much universally reviled - an deservedly so.

Then again, even 95% is probably still "partially"...

Quotealthough the game had "performed in line with management expectations in the quarter".
That is either a bold lie or "management" knew the game would sell like sliced bread that is moldy.


Last edited by TheSHEEEP on 31 August 2023 at 8:40 pm UTC
Ehvis Aug 31, 2023
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Quoting: TheSHEEEP
QuoteEmbracer themselves said that Saints Row had "left the fanbase partially polarized"
I don't think so.
The game is pretty much universally reviled - an deservedly so.

Then again, even 95% is probably still "partially"...

Exactly what I was thinking. 1% was polarised. The rest hated it. :D

To be fair, you can have all kinds of thoughts on the closing down of a studio. But Volition hasn't really produced anything noteworthy for a decade. And after SR reboot, what reason was there to keep sticking with it? At some point keeping it open becomes charity.

Kind if interesting that they were shoved under Gearbox though. They managed produce a piece of the most awful game writing themselves with BL3. Paired nicely with the SR reboot. At least the gameplay of BL3 saved it somewhat.
dredhammer Aug 31, 2023
When somebody else owns your studio you got to produce what they demand even if you vehemently disagree with the decisions and i feel that this is what happened with that saint's row reboot, they toned down or removed everything that made the original games fun and took it in a different direction. i have a feeling, but dont actually know,the actual devs did not agree with this and when they did what was required and the game bombed their reward for following orders is a complete shut down and layoffs.
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